Alesha Dixon is advocating for families to avoid attending dolphin and whale shows this summer, expressing concerns that such shows depict “what abuse looks like” to children.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge and former Mis-Teeq singer is encouraging vacationers to opt for wildlife-watching excursions instead of supporting captive animal performances. She is also renewing her call on travel company TUI to cease selling tickets to marine parks. Despite increasing worries about the well-being of marine mammals, many families traveling abroad for the school break may still visit dolphin and whale attractions in popular holiday destinations like Tenerife and Portugal.
While wild bottlenose dolphins can swim up to 63 miles daily in intricate family units, over 3,600 dolphins and whales worldwide are confined in entertainment facilities with concrete tanks.
Alesha, a long-time UK ambassador for World Animal Protection, shared her deep connection with dolphins in their natural habitat, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding these magnificent creatures. She emphasized the need for children to witness animals in their natural environments for a truly educational experience.
Instead of supporting dolphin and whale shows, Alesha suggests families invest in boat trips to observe dolphins in the wild, offering a more magical encounter. She recounted her eldest daughter’s experience spotting dolphins in Jersey and her plans to take both her daughters on a similar trip in Italy this summer. Notably, the UK’s last dolphinarium closed in 1993 due to concerns about the well-being of captive dolphins and whales.
Alesha highlighted the misconception that captive dolphins appear happy due to their facial expressions, emphasizing that this is misleading. Several major travel companies have already stopped selling tickets to captive dolphin entertainment, and campaign group World Animal Protection is urging TUI to do the same.
TUI has been reached out to for comment on this matter.
