?The Ecologist?, an environmental magazine, devoted several articles to the dolphin trade in the August edition.

Statistics published by the magazine revealed that 53 percent of dolphins die within the first three months of captivity.

About 25 percent of captive calves are stillborn and their average number of offspring is less than one.

They are often isolated in barren tanks and many suffer from stress and even commit suicide.

Eight-foot dolphins can legally be confined to 24-square foot tanks that are six feet deep.

They live in chlorinated treated water, in some cases.

Their average life span is five years.

Captive dolphins are hand fed dead fish.

They are unable to use sonar if they are kept in tanks because of the sound bouncing off the tank walls.

In comparison, if left in the wild, dolphins can live up to 40 years. They can reproduce every two to three years starting at the age of ten.

Their average number of offspring in a lifetime is six.

They live in complex social structures staying in a family unit their entire lives.

Dolphins swim up to 50 miles a day and dive to depths of 500 feet.

Their average life span is 30 years.

Dolphins hunt for and eat live fish.

They use sonar to see and interact.

Juvenile dolphins are valued at $50,000-100,000.

Adults up to the age of 30, covering the peak breeding years, are worth $100,000-$200,000. Captive bred and female dolphins are worth more.

Tourists will pay hundreds of dollars for an encounter with dolphins.

*Statistics are for information purposes only and were gathered at an international level not in Bermuda