MANILA: The Philippine government said yesterday it has approved the export of 25 show dolphins to Singapore after a ban on their transport to a giant casino chain was lifted.
Animal rights activists filed a civil suit against the government last week, preventing the export of the animals to Resorts World Sentosa. They alleged the capture of the bottlenose dolphins from the Solomon Islands, as well as their transport to Singapore after being trained, violated an international treaty on the trade of endangered animals and plants.
The case was later transferred to another court, which lifted the travel ban on Wednesday.
Theresa Concepcion, Asia head of the animal rights group Earth Island Institute, said it planned to appeal the latest ruling today.
“This is a sad day for dolphins. The lifting of the (court injunction) means we can now trade in any species even if this would affect the survival of these species in the wild,” she said.
The dolphins had been captured in the waters of the Solomons, according to Concepcion, and were shipped away to be trained at a marine entertainment park in the Philippines between December 2008 and January 2011.
The Philippine Star
