Behind the Dolphin Smile: A True Story that Will Touch the Hearts of Animal Lovers EverywherePeople who have faced death often speak of their lives flashing before their lives. Something much different happened to dolphin trainer Richard O'Barry when one of the dolphins that played Flipper on television died of stress in his arms. He realized that most of his career as an animal trainer had been a mistake and that dolphins have as much right to freedom as humans. He vowed not to rest until he freed every last dolphin that could be returned to the wild successfully. This is a true story that will move not only animal lovers but everyone who loves a well-told tale. Ric O'Barry had everything-money, flashy cars, pretty women-but it wasn't enough to keep his conscience at bay. He began to understand that dolphins were easy to train because of their great intelligence, not his great talent, and keeping them in captivity was cruel and morally wrong. While research and entertainment are important to human life, they are not worth the cost to these beautiful and gentle animals. O'Barry was arrested trying to free a dolphin, but that didn't stop him, and he now devotes his life to untraining dolphins and returning them to their natural habitats. Once the pride of the billion-dollar dolphin captivity industry, he has since become its nemesis. |
Contents
PREFACE | 11 |
Mission to Bimini | 13 |
The Bimini Jail | 28 |
Summer 1944 | 42 |
Treasure Diving | 55 |
The Hunt | 78 |
Glory Days | 92 |
Seaquarium Show | 103 |
Alone | 151 |
The Bamboo Trick | 160 |
Of Oyster Stew and Interspecies Communication | 185 |
Shooting in the Bahamas | 201 |
Fun and Games | 217 |
The Trouble with Susie | 231 |
When the Wheels Fall Off | 241 |
Working Without a Net 19 25 05 North 76 40 West | 251 |
The Lilly Factor III | 111 |
Going Hollywood | 124 |
Thirteen Weeks a Year | 134 |
The Dolphins of War | 292 |
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Common terms and phrases
animals asked Bahamas Bahamian Bimini Biscayne Bay blue runner bottom breath bucket called camera Captain Gray capture caught Charlie Brown director diver diving Dolphin Project dorsal fin everything eyes feel feet fence film fins fish Flipper Flipper's New Adventure gave Grassy Key grinned hand happened head Hugh Downs Hugo inner tube Ivan Tors Jimmy Kline Joe and Rosie jump Kathy knew lagoon laughed Lilly live looked Miami Seaquarium mouth movie never nodded O'Barry okay Pete phins pounds problem pulled reef tank Ricou Ricou Browning scene shook shooting shot shrugged signal smiled sound suddenly sure Susie swam swim tail talk tell things thought tiger shark told took tossed trick tried Truby trying turned U.S. Navy underwater walked wanted watch wet sub whales yelled