Underwater World Singapore says its dolphin has skin cancer
A local wildlife group said on Monday (Oct 27) that a dolphin at Underwater World Singapore named Han has "visible head and mouth injury with skin problems".
Responding to queries by The New Paper, Underwater World Singapore has clarified that Han is suffering from non-contagious skin cancer and that the dolphin is being cared for by their team of marine mammal trainers.
"The dolphin does not participate in any performance or programme," said a spokesman for Haw Par Corporation, which owns Underwater World.
"Health checks are conducted regularly and the results show that, apart from the cancer, which is being specifically treated, the dolphin is generally in good health."
The queries were in response to a 30-page report released online in the early hours of Monday morning (Oct 27) by Wildlife Watcher about the welfare of animals in Sentosa's Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon.
In the report, the group claims they and representatives from marine wildlife conservation society Sea Shepherd Conservation Society conducted their investigation by buying tickets to two shows in July and August.
According to The Straits Times, the group sent a copy of the report to the Underwater World Singapore and the Agri-Food &Veterinary Authority (AVA) in early October.
The Straits Times said that the AVA conducted an inspection and that they found the dolphins to be satisfactory condition.
Louis Ng, the chief executive of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society Singapore (ACRES), said that they were appalled by the conditions of the dolphin in the dolphin lagoon.
ACRES has been campaigning for the release of the dolphins at Underwater World since 2003.
How though, did Wildlife Watcher conduct their investigations?
Read the full report in our print edition on Oct 28, 2014.
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