The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary
The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary
The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary
The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary
The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary
This campaign is closed
The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary
The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary Mission:
The Need for a Sanctuary
All around the world captive dolphins swim in circles in undersized tanks, spending their days performing for food. These animals belong in the wild, and yet 283 bottlenose dolphins are held captive in cramped conditions in Europe alone, unable to express their natural behaviours.
The area of The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary superimposed over the Dolfinarium Harderwijk in Holland (shown by the grey shading), Europe's largest dolphinarium, which holds captive over 30 dolphins.
Due to the effective work of animal welfare organisations, dolphinariums are shutting down. Finland’s only dolphinarium, Särkänniemi Adventure Park, recently shut down as a result of low attendance and related financial pressures. Despite the closure, the dolphins remained captive for a further 10 months due to a lack of appropriate options. These dolphins are now performing in shows at the Attica Zoological Park in Greece. Unfortunately, just 6 months after relocation one of these dolphins sadly died. The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary will provide the ideal permanent home for formerly captive dolphins, returning them to their natural environment.
Facts regarding the negative impacts of captivity on the welfare of bottlenose dolphins.
The eastern Mediterranean supports diverse marine populations, thus strandings and injuries inevitably occur. As a result, a veterinary clinic to treat and rehabilitate seals, turtles and dolphins in a natural environment is crucial. In addition to providing refuge, the Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary will function as a veterinary hospital for marine wildlife.
Our Solution, Their Sanctuary
The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary will provide both an ideal place for the long term rehabilitation of formerly captive dolphins and a medical centre for injured marine species. It will be based in a biodiverse, coastal bay on the Greek island of Lipsi, in the eastern Aegean Sea.
The Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary is not an idea but a dynamic project that is already underway. Given the funding is sourced successfully, the sanctuary aims to be operating this year.
How Can You Make a Difference?
Even with all the hard voluntary work from Archipelagos Institute team members, it is not possible for us to complete this project without your help. We are asking you to donate to our cause to save the captive dolphins and give injured marine animals a place to be treated. Every little bit helps. Even if you can’t afford to donate yourself, share the cause with family, friends and anyone with an interest.
“No aquarium, no tank in a marine land, however spacious it may be, can begin to duplicate the conditions of the sea. And no dolphin who inhabits one of those aquariums or one of those marine lands can be considered normal.” ~ Jacques Cousteau, oceanographer
*Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation is a Greek, non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in 1998. It is committed to researching and defending the biodiversity of the Greek seas and islands, as well as the rest of the NE Mediterranean region.