Depressed-looking dolphins filmed floating lifelessly in Bali pool

WHEN an Australian model visited this Bali resort, he witnessed something so distressing that he was moved to petition the government.

THEY look lifeless, far from happy and struggling to survive.

In this shocking video, captured by an Australian model late last week, a pair of dolphins are seen bobbing about in a small pool at a Bali resort.

One pops its head out of the water, towards the open ocean only metres away, while the other rolls lifelessly on the chlorinated water’s surface.

The two dolphins are held captive in this small, shallow pool where tourists can pay to swim with them and watch them perform tricks.

Stumbling across one of their shows at the Wake Bali Dolphins resort in May, Sydney surfer Craig Brokensha was so disgusted he started an online petition on change.org pressuring Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry to have the dolphins freed.

The dolphins are kept in a pool around 10m by 20m.

His campaign has since received the support of more than 200,000 signatories, disgusted by the cruel conditions the animals are kept in.

But this most recent video of the dolphins in their depressing home has prompted Mr Brokensha to push even harder.

“When I was there they were doing their shows, they were jumping, they were active, but seeing them between shows is even worse, it’s a horrible thing to see” he told news.com.au.

“I felt quite sad, quite disgusted. It looked like they weren’t happy at all. They just looked kind of lifeless and disinterested.”

Mr Brokensha started campaigning to have the dolphins released after he came across them on a surfing trip in Bali.

At first, he thought the sound of whistles coming from the tourist resort just beyond the beach must have been kids playing a game of soccer or volleyball, but was horrified to discover it was dolphins jumping around in the tiny pool.

“I just thought, that’s incredible, that can’t be right,” he said.

That’s more like it ... Craig Brokensha surfing with a pod of dolphins. Picture: Tristan Fitzherbert-Smith.

As well as the danger being confined to such a small space can bring, there are also fears the dolphins could go blind as a result of the chemicals in the water, Mr Brokensha said.

Since the petition was launched, Wake has said its dolphin show was a government-approved attraction.

Though he hasn’t yet heard from the Indonesian authorities, Mr Brokensha says the suggestion the exhibit was approved by the government was concerning.

“I think it’s a way bigger issue than we thought — there’s a bigger problem,” he said.

“We’ve just got to keep building up the pressure and the attention.”

Mr Brokensha is now urging the petition’s followers to contact the Indonesian environment minister and Australia’s ambassador to Indonesia with their thoughts.

The dolphin attraction at the Wake Bali Dolphins in Keramas Beach, Gianyar, Bali.