Carols Dolphin Project

ABOUT US

Back in 1990, i read an article on dolphin's in the JEP, (Jersey Evening Post). Local marine mammal recorder at that time, Trevor Copp had been to swim with a wild solitary dolphin off Northumberland called "Freddie". I then contacted Trevor and told him about the bottlenose dolphins i had seen off Noirmont Point the previous year. From then, i handed in sightings to Trevor who then passed the information on French researches of the Groupe Mammalogique Normand which is based in Saint Lo. It is here they analyse the data to build a clearer picture of the population and feeding grounds of the dolphins we have in and around Jersey waters.

Carol's Dolphin Project was established back in 1992, when an article about the project appeared in the Jersey Evening Post. My work had caused interest in dolphins island wide and it became a real impact on the conservation of dolphins in and around Jersey water's (as stated in JEP article). This included sighting's recieved from fisherman, boat owner's and the public in general of which i continued to pass over to Trevor.

My work has continued over the years as well as collected dolphin teeth that was handed over to Max Alan to be sent off to the U.K and analysed for research purposes. Other issues covered by the project include: killing of dolphins by countries such as the Faroes, Norway, and Japan, and the problems of by-catch (fishing related deaths of dolphins) and of course the captivity industry.

Dolphin Trainer who became a Dolphin freedom fighter!

Dolphin Project ©

Also in 1990, i read an article in the International Dolphin Watch magazine about a guy called Ric O'Barry who in the 1960s worked for Miami Seaquarium where he used to train the dolphins for the flipper series. Ric had one of his books in there called "Behind The Dolphin Smile" (please see Captivity page).

Later, i read others articles about Ric in magazines and one of them stated that Cathy, one of his dolphin's who played the main role in the Flipper series had died in Rics arms. Ric then realised that capturing dolphins and training them was so wrong. So in 1970, Ric founded The Original Dolphin Project which is dedicated to freeing captive dolphins and educating people world wide about dolphins and their cry for freedom! It was this that inspired me to carry out my research into dolphin captivity.

Being that Ric used to train dolphin's for the captivity industry and i had only ever encountered dolphin's in the wild, my curiousity got the better of me as to why the captivity industry is so bad when it gives people the impression that it's a marvellous place to keep dolphin's and whales. To find out more why the industry is such a bad place for dolphins and whales, please go to the captivity page and learn more from the expert who used to train the dolphins for the "Flipper" series! After contacting Ric & Helene, I then spent a number of months helping them with their campaign. Helene kindly sent me over some photographs that i then used on my display boards with information to make people aware of what goes on in the captivity industry.

Dolphin's are born to be wild, not confined in tanks until the day they die!

Helene O'Barry©

Ric & Helene are now campaigning against the Japanese fisherman who slaughter/capture thousands of dolphins and whales every year for food consumption and the captivity industry.

JERSEY AGAINST WHALE SLAUGHTER

In 1997, myself and other members of J.A.W.S. (Jersey Against Whale Slaughter), Greenpeace, Jersey Animal Rights Association took the opportunity to hold a peaceful demonstration against the Faroes who are responsible for the killing of thousands of Pilot Whales every year..

This was done by demonstrating through the streets of St Helier and coming to rest outside The Spring Field Stadium, where the Faroes Representatives were taking part in the Jersey Island Games.

C.Hansford©

Royal Visit at the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society

Friday 13th July 2001

C.Hansford©

HM Queen Elizabeth ll made an official opening to the new head quarters at the Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural. There was a number of stalls in the Exhibition Hall on that day.

C.Hansford©

17,500 SIGNATURES HANDED IN TO 10 DOWNING STREET

In 2001, I have also been involved with highlighting the problem of by-catch which causes the deaths of thousands of dolphins each year. This brought myself and Martin Gavet of La Societe Guernesiaise together who started a petition in Guernsey. And due to this, i carried out my own petition in Jersey because none of the public knew about the number of dolphins we had washed up in the island. People didnt even know that there was a problem that was so close to the C.I. It was then i got all of Jerseys media involved in the plight in the welfare of dolphins.

Martin Gavet©

The result was that between myself and Martin Gavet, we collected 17,500 signatures which Martin and colleagues from the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, handed into Number 10 Downing Street on 4th September, 2001, as part of By-catch Action Day.

BBC - Guernsey - Features - Common Dolphin

Seal with fishing line on Ecrehous

On Wednesday 24th Oct 2001, i recieved an email stating that a seal on Les Ecrehous had fishing line tightly wrapped around its neck and was believed to be the same seal that The Jersey Seal Project together with local authorites Hugh Forshaw and the fisheries department had tried to rescue earlier in the year but sadly failed. The seal seemed to spend very long periods with eyes shut and it moved very little showing that it was in pain, so observation from The Jersey Seal Project was kept to a minimum so that the seal was'nt disturbed! In November 2001, i then contacted local authorities and i was told by one individual that they didnt have the right equipment in the island to capture a wild seal. They made a second rescue attempt to capture the seal but again sadly failed.

Raphaelle Xenedis (aged 11yrs)©

French Marine Mammal Researcher Gerard Mauger informed us that a young girl called Raphaelle managed to get within a metre of the seal. The seal allowed certain people within 1 metre of its self before entering the sea, but it could have been possible to capture it with a net, and offered his services. From then, there seemed to be a lack of interest and communication from certain people which has left the seal or seal's possibly suffering till this day.

MAMMIFERES MARINS DE NORMANDIE

In February 2002, i recieved a Seal Entanglement and Rescue Options Document which was kindly sent to me by The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. I then handed out a number of these documents (6) in total, to a number of local authorities and interested parties in the island.

This document shows you different methods of capturing seals as well as different equipment (such as a net gun) that can be used to either capture or cut away certain debris that the seal could be entangled with. (Apparently 3 seal's now with this problem).

To this day, i believe no further rescue attempts have been made.

Raphaelle Xenedis (aged 11yrs)©

NET GUN

After contacting Martin Gavet in Guernsey, (2001/2002) before anyone was trained in the island as marine mammal medics, we tried to look for a solution by searching for equipment that could have made it possible to help us capture a seal with netting problems.

We found that getting hold of a net gun was very difficult and the only place we could possibly get hold of one would be in New Zealand. Even then, we found it difficult to locate a supplier!

The only alternative solution would have been to use some other form of netting that could be used to capture the seal. But sadly, we didnt know where this seal could be located!

BDMLR RESCUE COURSE

1st June 2002 Guernsey

Myself and staff from the JSPCA attended the second BDMLR Marine Mammal Medic Course to be held in Guernsey that brought alot of attention not only to participants but also to beachgoers in Pembroke Bay. The course was held on 1st June 2002 and was organised by the Cetacean Section of La Societe Guernesaise.

The tuition consisted of a series of three lectures and video presentations given by veterinary experts from BDMLR at La Societe Guernesiase HQ in the morning, on physiology, biology. species identification and first aid procedures for marine mammals. In the afternoon, we spent practising on life-sized models filled with water to simulate their natural weight. The Pilot Whale weighed 2 tonnes.The Course also gave the opportunity to test out new life saving apparatus - the whale and dolphin pontoon, which was generously donated by NRG International Limited earlier in the year.

Guernsey alone has at least one seal pup stranding a year and in 2001 had a live Common dolphin washed ashore. La Societe Guernesaise has worked hard to ensure that proper facilities and procedures are now in place to deal with such eventualites, together with expertise through training.

Martin Gavet, course organiser, said the course was a "resounding success" and demonstarted the enthusiasm held by many for protecting these beautiful and intelligent species. He was delighted that there were now trained Marine Mammal Medics in most of the Channel Islands.

Seal Finger

JY Seals©

I was appalled to learn by a concerned member of the public that someone had taken some photos of a wild seal being hand fed by another individual at Les Ecrehous, and even worse, these people werent even warned about the dangers of the amount of diseases (seal pox and distemper) seal's carry in their mouth's.

For more information please go to the Jersey Seal Project's website Health and Safety /Legislation issues.

12 August 2005

I visited my hosts website to discover a new link on one of the pages. When i used this link, i found a website that showed a number of seal pictures with netting / fishing line problems. These pictures were then forwarded on to the BDMLR in the U.K , i was hoping to try and organise more possible rescue attempts as the two previous attempts back in 2001 sadly failed , even though at the time a young french girl managed to get within a metre of one of the seals. The BDMLR in the U.K. viewed the photos, then contacted the particular individual that took the photos with the view to making further rescue attempts. I was told by BDMLR that to attempt a rescue in a reef area would be difficult, as the seals would just enter the sea, so future rescue attempts are very slim.

One of my main concerns is that people have been disturbing the seals by getting too close to them and i feel that this would interfere with future rescue attempts.

Contact Information

New Era Vets Mobile: 07797 711585 (out of hours)

JSPCA - 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday Tel: 01534 724331

Carol's Dolphin Project - Mobile: 07797 766372

MARINE MAMMAL CASUALTY FIRST AID PROCEDURE

Seal with netting sadly washed up dead on French Coast mid 2008

I was informed by Bertram Bree who was informed by a French Marine Mammal group in Normandy that the seal with the netting problem was sadly washed up dead on the French Coast this year.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

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