Today’s Solutions: November 21, 2024

Marine biologists and activists are increasingly calling for the end to dolphins and whales held in captivity, especially for entertainment purposes, as these environments do not give them the space, social connection, and mental stimulation their complex brains need to thrive. Captive sea creatures are a big business, slowing action on this issue, but a policy change from travel giant Expedia could expedite the end to captive dolphins and whales.

The travel company, which serves as a one stop shop for many vacation bookings, has announced that they will no longer sponsor activities or lodging options that feature captive dolphins and whales. The company publicized the change on Twitter, writing, “We recently adjusted our animal welfare policy. As a result, attractions and activities that involve performances by or interactions with dolphins and other cetaceans will no longer be available on our sites.”

Expedia’s policy is the latest in a shift away from unethical animal practices in the industry. Intrepid Travel discontinued elephant rides through their platform in 2014, and Virgin Holidays ended dolphin and whale demonstration bookings in 2019.

Katheryn Wise, from World Animal Protection, told the Guardian, “Travel companies play a huge role in driving captive dolphin entertainment and as one of the largest travel companies in the world we are delighted that Expedia Group is making a stand. It’s time for other travel giants … to do the right thing and follow suit.”

The company will give vendors 30 days to comply with the new regulations before removal from the site. It also clarifies that it will allow accredited seaside sanctuaries in which animals are in a “permanent seaside living environment” and do not allow interactions or performances.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Changemakers of the week: GRuB and SparkNJ

Every day on the Optimist Daily, we report on solutions from around the world. Though we love solutions big and small, the ones that ...

Read More

The giant beneath the waves: world’s largest coral found in the Pacific

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a world where bad news about the environment routinely outweighs good news, scientists have discovered an incredible ...

Read More

Tortoise discovered in a home in Pompeii

Almost 2000 years after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and its trapping of the city of Pompeii in time, archaeologists are still making discoveries ...

Read More

Revel at the most detailed image of our universe yet

Here at The Optimist Daily, we have been sharing every exciting step of the James Webb Telescope’s journey, from its long-awaited launch, to when ...

Read More