CILDE – a smoke screen NGO

The Center for Dolphin Investigation (Centro de Investigación de Delfines – CILDE), is an association created by the owners of the Hotel Los Delfines.

1.) CILDE – a non-profit NGO?

According to the organizations web site “CILDE is a cultural and educational association, a non-profit organization (NGO), which has been founded for the study, investigation of cetaceans, especially dolphins as collaborators of man.”

Nevertheless, if one reviews the web site of CILDE, one is fairly fast aware of the fact, that all the organization does has to do with commercial interests. Even though CILDE exists already for several years, not one conservation or scientific investigation project has yet been done or is published. Instead the website promotes a wide range of merchandising products, from T-shirts to cups and dolphin-jewelry.

Even the educational projects of CILDE do have a strong commercial component. The so called “Blue Brigade” is sold to the public as an educational project, but in reality the children members of the Brigade are obliged to buy a uniform and invite at least to other children to become members, guaranteeing this way a growing data base of future clients. These children receive a 10% discount on the merchandizing products, as well as a 10 % discount for their birthday parties held in the hotels installations.

When the children do participate well they can gain even more benefits by accumulating reward stickers:

“a. Once the 1st sticker is placed on the membership card, he/she can bring a guest to the dolphinarium free of charge.
b. Once the 2nd sticker is obtained, he/she will receive a small stuffed dolphin.
c. Once the 3rd sticker is obtained, he/she will get a fish jump at the next meeting, and will receive a 20% discount on their birthday party.
d. Once the 4th sticker is obtained, he/she will get to be a “trainer for a day” and will receive a 20% discount at their next visit with a school or daycare. Either one requires advanced reservation. Call 215-7000, extension 6950.
e. They will receive special discounts of room and restaurant packages at Delfines Hotel & Casino as well as at other institutions that join our cause; these exclusive promotions will be sent via email.
f. They will receive discounts to businesses that are related to our purpose such as academies and institutes.”

There is only one question left: what child at the age of ten would rent a room in a five star hotel or visit an academy. It seems obvious that these kind of incentives are aiming to gain the parents children as future clients – and of course its them, who will have to pay the expensive birthday parties of their children in the hotel.

Participating in a Dolphin Assisted Therapy generates income forthe hotel.

The encounter of pregnant women with a dolphin generates income too. This project promotes itself as an innovative science and positive results are promised for the growth of the fetus, without any scientific base or what so ever. Additionally there are strong concerns about the possible negative effects for the fetal development, as well as health risks for mother and child.

In order to participate in any of the hotels or CILDEs activities a format has to be filled out, leaving your personal data and address – this way again contributing to the hotels list of potential clients.

In order to sum it up: CILDE in reality is a clever promotional instrument for services provided by the hotel and to create a data base of potential future clients, renting hotel rooms or buying merchandizing?

Sign our online-petition against dolphin captivity in the Hotel Los Delfines

2.) CILDE – an organization for environmental education?

The educational aim of CILDE according to their web site is: “Through different informative programs, this institution aims to build awareness and sensitivity in human beings, involving them in this impressive aquatic world.”

But what kind of educational work does CILDE?

Instead of providing scientifically based information about the natural history and ecology of dolphins and whales CILDE argues on the emotionally charged an idealized level of the seventies, when dolphin “Flipper” conquered the TV-screens. Additionally CILDES informational material is riding the new age wave of dolphin mysticism.

According to CILDE dolphins live in “harmony” with other members of their species and with the environment. No word about the fact that dolphins are highly efficient predators – which means they hunt and kill fish. Orcas (the biggest dolphin species) and even bottle nose dolphins in the wild do kill other cetaceans. Between group members there may be fights, even though these fights normally do not reach a dangerous level as dolphins live in grown family groups with established hierarchies and because the natural environment provides enough space to create physical distance between the fighting dolphins and let the conflict calm down.

In captivity however, where dolphins from different groups or even oceans are forced to live together in very confined conditions these aggressions may escalate and result in the killing of other dolphins of the same species. This has been observed in orcas, bottlenose dolphins and river dolphins in captivity.

According to CILDE Yaku and Wayra are “ambassadors”, which “ask us not to contaminate our oceans and not to continue killing their brothers.” So one could suppose that our friends from CILDE should be the first ones to hear and recognize the ambassadors’ message and consequently take steps to set them free, instead of letting them suffer in captivity. CILDEs members should be the first ones to recognize scientific data and veterinarian statistics that clearly show the dolphins suffering in captivity.

CILDE aims that the children, members of the Blue Brigade, learn “to take advantage of their intelligence and creativity for doing good to their neighbors and to discover the wonders of nature”. But the organization still owes us an explanation on how the children are supposed to discover natures miracles, looking at two captive dolphins confined in a sickening and completely artificial denaturalized man made environment without any natural elements then the dolphins themselves, which are presented performing tricks like in a circus.

Sign our online-petition against dolphin captivity in the Hotel Los Delfines

Stay in touch with Mundo Azul! Sign up to our google group “Mundo Azul International” and receive news about our work and nature conservation in Peru, Web site updates, action alerts, suggestions on how you can participate or help, volunteer opportunities, internship and job openings and much more.

Become a member of our Facebook group:

Hotel Los Delfines – Dolphin jail or conservation project?

Become a member of our Facebook group “Mundo Azul International“

Page author: Stefan Austermühle

Read more about dolphin captivity and the Hotel los Delfines at: