HONIARA, Solomon Islands (18 Oct 2007) — A shipment of 28 live bottlenose dolphins flew from Solomon Islands to an aquatic park in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai despite protests from environmental groups and two South Pacific governments. Two airplanes left late Wednesday from the South Pacific nation and the dolphins would be looked after with "great care" on the 30-hour flight said Robert Satu, a director of the export company, Solomon Islands Marine Mammal Education Center and Exporters Ltd. As the mammals were being loaded, three dead dolphins were located near the firm's holding pens outside the Solomons' capital, Honiara. The partly decomposed bodies of the dolphins — including a calf — had been ripped open, apparently by stray dogs. Satu on Wednesday denied any knowledge of dead dolphins. Lawrence Makili, Pacific director of the San Francisco-based group Earth Island Institute, said the discovery of the dead dolphins constituted "clear evidence" that they had been mistreated. Solomons Fisheries Minister Nollen Leni defended the decision to allow the exports, accusing animal welfare groups of trying to block the country's "new million dollar" industry. Leni said each dolphin is priced at US$200,000 (€140,000) in the Dubai market. He said the country has never broken any laws while exporting dolphins, and arguments by animal activists based on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) were completely baseless. Leni said CITES, which Solomons ratified earlier this year, is not a body of law but a set of agreed principles and guidelines put in place by countries to manage their resources. "Nobody, especially the hopeless NGOs (nongovernment organizations), has told us what laws we have broken to allow the export of dolphins," he told reporters. Both Australia and New Zealand voiced opposition to the shipment. Australian Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said his government did not support any commercial export of dolphins. New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter said he was gravely concerned over the resumption of live dolphin exports in a letter to Mark Kemakeza, Solomon Islands forests, environment and conservation minister. | 
