Dolphin-study funds on hold after Solomons changes leaders

Ocean Park has halted controversial plans to fund a study that might have led to it importing dozens of bottlenose dolphins from the Solomon Islands.

Conservationists criticised the theme park last year when it emerged that it was to fund a US$100,000 government study in the islands that would lead to the import of wild-captured dolphins if the population was found to be sustainable.

Suzanne Gendron, the park's executive director, said the funding had been withheld and the plan put on hold because of a change of government in the Solomons in August.

Gendron also said the previous government had discussed importing 50 dolphins to Hong Kong depending on the study results, but that she had not been convinced the population in the wild was sustainable.

Dolphins sell for upwards of US$100,000 each.

Gendron had gone with colleagues to check the dolphin numbers before agreeing to fund the sustainability study. 'When I was there and looked around, I didn't see very many dolphins. I didn't think there was a sustainable number.