Dolphins From Former Dispute Entangled Shows, Waiting For Rehabilitation Amid Uncertainty

JAKARTA Dolphin Attractions are indeed fun for the audience, especially children. But on the other hand, marine mammals are vulnerable to exploitation because they do not live in their natural habitat.

The story of Johnny, Rambo, and Rocky, who became the first three dolphins to be released into their natural habitat after three years of rehabilitation at Umah Lumban, in 2020 has caught the public's attention.

Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center is the first permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and pension facility and the only one for dolphins previously involved in a circus or dolphin show.

But just less than two months after being released into the wild, Johnny, who is believed to be the most senior dolphin among the three, was reported dead.

Johnny's case, who died after being rehabilitated, was later released into the wild, which was said to be one of the reasons why other dolphins did not follow in Johnny's footsteps, was released into his habitat in the wild.

On September 3, 2022, which coincided with National Nature Conservation Day, became a historic moment for Indonesia. Because on that day, three dolphins named Johnny, Rambo, and Rocku were released into their natural habitat in the high seas.

This is the first incident carried out in Indonesia, according to Femke Denhaas, founder and field coordinator as well as the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) wildlife program.

"Indonesia can be an example with this program. We really hope that we will be given the same opportunity because it is clear that dolphins are not happy, cannot live in the swimming pool," said Femke.

The release of the three marine mammals was carried out after they underwent three years of rehabilitation at Umah Lumban, thanks to the cooperation between the Indonesian government and JAAN and Dolphin Project.

Umah Lumba is the world's first rehabilitation center for dolphins previously involved in a circus or dolphin show. The location is in the waters of Singaraja, Buleleng, Bali.

Rocky, Rambo, and Johnny, and one of their friends, Dewa, are dolphins who were taken to the rehabilitation center in Banyuwedang Bay. The four dolphins were pinned from the pool of a resort in Lovina, Bali, in 2019.

They were transferred to Umah Lumban after a dolphin named Gombloh was found dead in the pool of a resort hotel. At that time, the hotel was experiencing legal problems and the court ordered the relocation of about 20 animals in the hotel, including four dolphins.

Femke said that when he first saw the dolphin, his condition was quite alarming, with a dirty pool.

Dewa even looked frustrated and hurt himself by banging his body on the pool wall made of ceramics, until there were wounds and body blood. According to Femke, Dewa at that time had respiratory problems because during his life in the hotel, this disease was only treated with antibiotics but never recovered.

After receiving the green light from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, they were finally relocated to Umah Lumban. Femke himself participated in the evacuation process with the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA). Unfortunately, Dewa died shortly after being evacuated.

Before entertaining visitors at the resort, they spent years performing at the mobile dolphin circus.

At that time, Indonesia was one of the few countries that still held a dolphin show. This marine mammals, along with other animals, were transported from one city to another in dire conditions.

Even when they lived in the hotel, their condition did not get better. Dozens of years living in hotel pools with high chlorine levels caused damage to Johnny's skin and chest fins. His teeth are even aus. This is also what makes it difficult for Johnny to hunt independently when he is rehabilitated in Umah Lumban. In 2020, the government through KLKH finally officially banned the mill of mobile dolphins.

But that doesn't mean the dolphin show is completely gone. On April 4, 2021, Dolphin Logde Bali, the Mertasari Beach water cage pool, Sanur, Bali, received criticism from netizens.

The reason is the emergence of a video of Indonesian celebrities swimming while holding a viral dolphin fin in cyberspace. Dolphin Lodge manager, PT Piayu Samudra Bali, apparently has seven dolphins being treated in a sea cage with a depth of eight meters.

Head of the Bali BKSDA Region I Conservation Section, Sumarsono, stated that Dolphin Lodge Bali was closed shortly after the video went viral. As a result, all dolphins were evacuated by the BKSDA team on April 27, 2021 and entrusted to Benoa Exotic Marine Park (BEMP) located in Denpasar.

This is where the problem for dolphins reappears. The lawsuit occurred between Piayu Samudra Bali and the government regarding the relocated dolphins. Until now, the five dolphins are still in the BEMP pool, while the other two died shortly after being relocated.

They are placed in the main pool about 1,000 square meters and there are two other ponds with smaller sizes. Animal welfare manager of BEMP Ida Bagus Nararya Primastana Adnyana claims the pool facilities are standard, including chlorine content which never exceeds the 1.5 ppm threshold.

There is a reason why these five dolphins are unlike Johnny, Rambo, and Rocky who were rehabilitated at Umah Lumban to be released into the wild. First, moving them to Umah Lumban takes longer travel time, about six hours, compared to BEM. Sumarsono admitted that he did not want to take the risk of them dying on the road.

In addition, Johnny's death after being released made the government more careful to take similar actions, especially for dolphins with physical disabilities.

"In our next experience, we cannot carelessly release the wild because the dolphin is disabled, whose teeth cannot be released and so on. So the theory that the dolphin must be released wildly is not entirely true. See the condition of the dolphin," Sumarsono explained.

On the other hand, said Sumarsono, the transfer of dolphins from BEMP to a rehabilitation center "cannot immediately" because it is waiting for administration from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Jakarta. That is why the relocation of these dolphins is not like the expectations of many people due to the situation and conditions they face.

However, Sumarsono emphasized that shortly after the administrative problems in Jakarta were resolved, the dolphins could immediately go to a more comfortable place. He believes the process will not take long because the difficult period has ended.

However, before the moment of relocation arrived, the five dolphins still had to be patient waiting for uncertainty even though they had been in the BEMP pool for years.