Jamaica
Swimming with dolphins
Lucea is the largest natural dolphin lagoon in the world. Visitors have the opportunity to interact and "bathe with" dolphins in their natural marine environment. This may seem like a very natural and fun activity, however, we must bear in mind that animals are attracted with bait (by putting food in that zone), a practice that causes them not to feed by themselves in their territory and modifies local marine ecosystems. These activities can also be very stressful for dolphins, and both they and people can be injured or get diseases. More information.
Swimming with sharks and stingrays
In addition to interactions and swimming with dolphins, in Jamaica you can also find companies and centers, such as the Dolphin Cove, which offer the possibility of bathing and swimming with sharks or stingrays. In the same way that happens with dolphins, bathing with these majestic animals can seem something exciting and fun, however, we cannot forget that these are unnatural activities that put the safety of people and animals at risk since both can be injured and even get diseases. In the Dolphin Cove center, the sharks are used to entertain visitors and are forced to endure a series of activities in exchange for food which also causes them a lot of stress and disorders.
Diving and snorkelling
Tropical coral reefs are among nature's most diverse ecosystems, they are made up of thousands of species of fish, plants, invertebrates and microorganisms. Their natural beauty attracts thousands of tourists and divers every year. Diving in the emerald waters of the coast of Jamaica to explore the beautiful live coral reefs and see exotic fish that inhabit them are popular activities. More information on how to dive responsibly here.
Stray cats and dogs
There are large numbers of stray animals in Jamaica, which often live in very bad conditions. The stray cat and dog populations are controlled by unregulated mass slaughter which usually involves very cruel slaughter methods. If you find these animals, you can help them by giving them some food or water, but avoiding close contact with them in order to avoid contagious illnesses. Before traveling you can find the contacts of local animal protection NGOs to inform them in case you find very ill animals or victims of animal abuse, or in case you want to make a donation. More information.
Dolphinariums
In this country you can also find centers that keep cetaceans (dolphins, orcas or beluga whales) in captivity. Research has shown that these intelligent animals suffer greatly in the limiting conditions of dolphinaria and their levels of stress and mortality are highly elevated.
The training of these animals for circus shows where they perform totally unnatural behaviours, which can physically harm them, is achieved by keeping the animals in a permanent state of hunger so that they act in exchange for a piece of dead fish.
Condemned by their facial structure, which resembles a human smile, these highly social animals, which would swim long distances and dive into great depths in the wild, are used to perform stunts in small concrete tanks. Many of these individuals are taken from the wild. More information at SOS Delfines.
Here is a list of local NGOs that can be contacted in case you want to make a donation, a complaint or find an animal that needs help in Jamaica:
