Dolphinaria-Free Europe is supporting the call to find Martinha, a rescued female common dolphin who has spent the past decade confined to a tiny backyard concrete ‘swimming pool’ after stranding on the coast of Portugal in 2007.
Martinha’s rescuers allowed her to languish in a waist-deep pool for 10 years, despite continued assurances that she would be rehabilitated and returned to the wild. In February 2017, the Martinha coalition received a letter from the Portuguese Government agency ICNF, on behalf of CRAM-Q stating that Martinha would not be released because of ‘chronic’ and ‘cyclic’ medical conditions (liver and digestive issues) but they were, however, looking for “alternative rehabilitation centres that could receive and take care of Martinha. Despite requests, there has been no evidence or confirmation of a move.
Please help find Martinha – further information can be at www.martinha.org