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In 2026, Taiwan's captive dolphin performances are set to end. But this has sparked a major question: What will happen to the dolphins and the people who care for them?

For decades, trainers have taught and looked after the dolphins at ocean parks around Taiwan. For some, it’s more than just a job.

“I think the relationship between us feels more like that of long-time partners,” Tien Hao-jen, a dolphin trainer and caretaker, shared with TaiwanPlus News.

The dolphins will remain in their tanks, and the trainers will become their fulltime caregivers. But still the question persists: What happens next?

Watch the full video on TaiwanPlus News’ YouTube channel.

Reporter: Bryn Thomas/Sandy Chi
Videographer: Fuhua Hung/Howard Chang
Video Editor: Alison Nguyen

#TaiwanPlusNews #Taiwan #Dolphins #AnimalWelfare #MarineLife

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Transcript
00:00Taiwan is waving goodbye to live dolphin performances amid a rise in animal rights
00:08movements and public criticism of the shows in recent years. But releasing captive dolphins
00:14into the wild is nearly impossible. So what exactly will happen to the dolphins and their
00:19trainers? For decades, trainers have worked with the dolphins at ocean parks around Taiwan,
00:24and for some, it's more than just a job. But experts say that this is not enough.
00:54Dolphins' porpoises simply do not thrive in captivity. We cannot provide them the complexity
01:01of the ocean. And so we just give them a box to live in. And I think that is the problem.
01:08But reintegration also isn't easy. These dolphins have been in captivity for 10 to 20 years,
01:15and may not have the necessary skills to survive independently in the wild.
01:18For now, the dolphins will remain in their tanks, and the trainers will become their full-time
01:32caregivers. As the final curtain call approaches, the future of both dolphin and trainer is still
01:37uncertain. But the special bonds some of them share remains a constant.
01:42For instance,
01:43for instance.
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