Dolphins Blowing Bubble Rings (C)

Not the 'normal' forum photo, but thought it was an interesting behaviour.

This picture was taken at Seaworld in Orlando a few weeks ago.

The dolphins in the aquarium create underwater bubble rings with their blowhole, then they use their rostrum to manipulate and play with the bubbles, it's pretty amazing to watch.

There's a few more pictures on my blog if interested.... www.barrybland.co.uk

cheers

Barry

Barry a lot of people spent a lot of time in this country ending dolphinariums as they are prisons for these creatures. They cannot replicate a life in the ocean. Some animals can do well in captivity, but ocean going large animals - cetaceans and larger sharks and rays do not.

The 'smile' perpetually on their face is their downfall. They cannot create any other facial expression and people assume they are happy.

Maybe this is the wrong place to post this picture?

I think your point is valid and probably true for 99% of animals in captivity.

I just thought it was a very unusual behavior that very few people get to see??? If it offends anybody I will delete the post.

I think its a great picture and it doesn't offend me.
Iam not sure that Dolphins in captivity are "unhappy" - but its an endless debate and I happen to think that animals in captivity (including budgies ) have a place in this world of today which is rapidly on the slide anyway.
JohnR

Thanks for posting this. I have never seen it before and it is interesting behaviour. I am not qualified to decide whether these particular creatures are happy or otherwise, but as this is a photography forum and not an animal rights site I have no objection to it.
Eric

No problem with the picture.
I've never seen this before. Interesting picture.

Barry

I too think its an interesting shot, one I enjoyed seeing and didn't bother me in the slightest

Stephen

On a pic POV, its interesting, i've seen it on video many times, and it is facinating.

On the other POV, i agree, but only as we still fail to understand possibly one of the most intelligent animals on the planet.

Well to be honest I am quite shocked at the reaction of the postings here. Although this is a photography forum, it is about the natural world and I had assumed everyone here cared about the natural environment and the animals in it. I don't wish to start an ethics debate, but I wouldn't expect to see a captive whaleshark or manta ray image or a performing dolphin in Seaworld, so this in my opinion is no different.

Gavin,

I expect that you are passionate about the topic of captivity. Thats said, I am sure everybody on this forum, in their opinion, does care about the natural environment and the animals in it and to insinuate/state that their lack of a stated opinion upon captivity, or the non-affirmation of yours, means that they do not care is a wee bit disrespectful to them.

This forums sole purpose is to share a common passion, nature photography; but it should be noted that we all come from different environments, hence we may have different philosophies on most other things.

Please, if you wish to open a debate or state your opinion on captivity (and you are most most welcome to do so) please use the Hot Topics forum and keep this forum to photo critique.

IMHO, with respect to this forum, this image should be treated no differently to that of any captive animal.

T

Hello Barry.

A well capture moment of some thing I have never seen before. Very interesting for me.

Very original image-well seen and captured

Dave