Letters to Editor: Captivity may help dolphins

Captivity may help dolphins
So Maui Dolphin, the little beauty of our native species, is in danger of extinction ...
As one of the four surviving members of the group that first established an aquarium in Napier 54 years ago, a process that led directly to the dolphins of Marineland, this is grim news.
Marineland, of course, has been sadly closed, with the death of its last remaining performer; the facility determinedly earmarked for destruction. Keeping dolphins in pools under such circumstances that they lived healthily and energetically far longer than in the wild became unacceptable oddly to some who keep caged birds and dogs tied up. Such is PC.
"Marineland" became synonymous with Napier not so very many years ago, known throughout Australasia, and beyond, and enthusiastically supported by a whole raft of public-spirited people... mayors, councillors; private citizens, and businesses, along with other specialists who freely gave their time and energy to make the enterprise the success it was.
So what might help our "wild" Maui dolphin survive? Might not a breeding pair in Marineland's pool be a hedge against extinction? Once they are gone, they're gone. After all, Marineland has previously hosted long-lived and healthy dolphins, and been praised for doing so.
There would be those who would prefer wild extinction to captive preservation. I'm not one. A referendum on this question would be helpful, before it is too late for our threatened dolphins. Russ SpillerNapierExpensive aidsThe article on hearing aids in your health section, HB Today July 25, was very interesting and it is wonderful to learn of the improved technology available. However, with a pair of aids costing in the vicinity of $10,000, not many will be able to enjoy the benefits now that the Government has decided to abolish the subsidies.
Sid McCann, Napier