What is World Dolphin Day? Threats to beautiful creatures

World Dolphin Day is a new international awareness day that is celebrated annually on September 12th. It was created by Sea Shepherd Global, an international marine conservation organization that has been fighting to defend dolphins and other marine wildlife for over 40 years.

                                                       (AP: Sea Shepherd)

The date of World Dolphin Day was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the largest single slaughter of dolphins in recorded history. On September 12, 2021, an unprecedented white-sided dolphin hunt took place in the Faroe Islands: 1,428 dolphins were caught and killed in a single day, including juveniles and pregnant females. This was nearly five times the average annual catch of white-sided dolphins in the Faroe Islands.

                                                   (AP: Sea Shepherd)

What are the main threats to dolphins?

Dolphins face many dangers from human activities that harm their health, habitat, and population. Some of the main threats are:

Hunting: Dolphins are hunted for their meat, skin, oil, or teeth in some parts of the world, such as Japan, Peru, Solomon Islands, and Faroe Islands. The hunting methods are often cruel and indiscriminate, causing immense suffering and killing large numbers of dolphins at once.
Bycatch: Dolphins are often caught accidentally in fishing nets or hooks, where they suffocate or drown. According to some estimates, more than 300,000 cetaceans (including dolphins and whales) die every year as bycatch.
Pollution: Dolphins are exposed to various pollutants that contaminate their water and food sources, such as plastics, chemicals, heavy metals, and noise. These pollutants can cause injuries, infections, diseases, reproductive problems, and behavioral changes in dolphins.
Habitat destruction: dolphins depend on healthy and diverse marine habitats for their survival. However, human activities such as coastal development, oil and gas exploration, mining, and climate change are destroying or degrading their habitats, reducing their food availability and quality.