User:Donald knapps/sandbox

Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project

Founded	1973
Founder	Ric O'Barry
Type	Public charity pending (USA);
Focus	Marine conservation Dolphins Dolphin drive hunting
Location	Santa Monica, California, USA
Area served	Global
Method	Direct action
Website	www.DolphinProject.net

Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project (Dolphin Project) is a non-profit, marine conservation organization based in Santa Monica, California in the United States.

The organization was founded in 1970 under the name World Dolphin Foundation by Ric O'Barry, the former trainer of the dolphins on the tv series Flipper. After his favorite Flipper dolphin named Kathy died in his arms, from what he cites as boredom, Ric vowed to free every dolphin he could. The group has a strong focus on public relations to spread its message via the press and social media. Celebrity supporters include Harry Styles, Kelly Slater, Maisie Williams, Kirsty Ally, Ben Stiller, Matt Sorum, Slash, Yoko Ono,

The 2009 Academy Award winning documentary The Cove features the group's encounters with the annual Taiji dolphin drive hunt which brought the group much publicity. The Dolphin Project was also featured in the 2010 Animal Planet tv mini-series Blood Dolphin$ which followed Ric & Lincoln O'Barry around the world as they answered the call to save dolphins.

History

Origins

1970's

The organization began symbolically on the first Earthday, 1970. Ric O'Barry, still distraught over the recent death of his favorite Flipper dolphin Kathy, attempted to free a captive dolphin named Charlie Brown. Ric's arrest garnered front page headlines, and so begun his quest to end the dolphin captivity industry.

The Cove - Taiji, Japan

The Dolphin Project first traveled to Taiji Japan In 1976 during a tour of the country for the Celebrate The Whale concert. Ric O'Barry and othe Dolphin Project delegates meet with the then mayor to open a dialog to reduce whale hunting.

In the fall of 2003, Ric O'Barry learned of the mass dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan and made his war there to see it for himself. Ric produced a video entitled