SOLOMON ISLANDS (16 Oct 2007) — The carcasses of three bottlenose dolphins, including a calf, were found dumped near a holding pen in the Solomon Islands where controversial exports of the mammals are planned. But the exporting company denied any knowledge. The partly decomposed bodies of the dolphins, which were torn open, apparently by stray dogs, were found on Tuesday night lying in the open near a coastal garbage dump site near the capital, Honiara. Solomon Islands Marine Mammal Education Centre and Exporters Ltd is preparing to airlift 28 live bottlenose dolphins to an aquatic park in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. Company director Robert Satu said the dolphins were being held at pens on Gavutu Island, near the capital, awaiting the arrival of two DC-10 aircraft from Dubai. He said loading the animals would begin after sunset on Wednesday, and that the animals would be treated with "great care" during the journey. Satu refused to comment on the discovery of the mammals' bodies. "I'm not aware of anything like that," he said. Pacific Director of the San Francisco-based group, Earth Island Institute, Lawrence Makili, said it was likely the dead dolphins were dumped by the export company. "No-one else is involved in capturing wild dolphins for commercial purposes in the country," he said. "These dead dolphins are clear evidence of the mistreatment of these humble marine mammals." The Solomon Islands banned the live dolphin export trade in 2003 following an outcry over a consignment of 28 bottlenose dolphins to an aquatic park in Mexico. Activists claim at least nine of the dolphins died in Mexico. Satu, who was involved in the exports to Mexico, claimed the ban was illegal and won a landmark court ruling last December that paved the way for dolphin exports to resume. New Zealand later protested against the resumption of live dolphin exports from the Solomons, saying previous attempts had resulted in a large number of deaths. "I think most New Zealanders would be appalled at the export of live dolphins, a trade that requires the animals to be rounded up, kept in pens and then loaded into aircraft," NZ Conservation Minister Chris Carter said. | 
