Guess what?

By 2050, by weight, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea.

Appalling huh?

Just take a look at this infographic provided by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation:

So How Did We Get Here?

The Industrial Age gave us benefits. Life-changing ones. It’s part of the reason why you’re able to read this now.

But there have been consequences. And we’re still learning what they are today. The principal consequence has been pollution.

Did you know 80% of marine pollution comes from land-based activities?

(Check out this infographic below by Conserve Energy Future) 

How does the ocean get polluted? Let’s take a look at the different marine pollution sources.

Marine Pollution Sources:

1. Oil

We’ve all seen the nasty pictures from oil spills.

They’re devastating towards marine life. Remember the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?

Here are the lives that were injured or killed by it:

• 25,900 Marine Mammals
• 6,165 Sea Turtles
• Unknown Number of Fish
• 82,000 Birds of 102 Species

However…

Oil spills are only responsible for 12% of the oil entering the sea.  More than twice that much comes from cities and industries.

How? Through waste runoff. (more on that later)

2. Fertilizer Runoff/Eutrophication

There has been a surge in seaweed production lately. This is due to a process called “eutrophication”.

It sounds complicated, but it really isn’t.

Take a look at the infographic above.

What does it show?

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus entering the ocean.

Where does it come from?

Fertilizer, pesticide, and animal waste runoff from farms and similar industries.

Why does this matter?

Because it causes excess phytoplankton growth. Before you know it, there’s a thick layer of seaweed growing on top. So much so, sunlight and oxygen cannot enter past it.

Life in the sea still requires sunlight and oxygen. Therefore, these areas become what are known as “dead zones”.

3. Garbage Dumping

   This is pretty self-explanatory. Garbage keeps finding its way to the sea. Some of it decomposes quickly. But…most of it does not. Including plastics.

In fact..

Plastic kills millions of sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals each year.

4. Toxic Chemicals

It may sound crazy now. But there was a time where the ocean was considered a dumpster.

Scientists thought it was large enough that we could throw anything into it safely. We’re talking pesticides, chemical weapons, and even radioactive waste. Yikes.

Thankfully, that begun to change in the 1970’s.

However, we’re still feeling the effects.

Today, almost every marine organism is contaminated with man-made chemicals.

5. Ocean Mining:

Every year companies try mining the ocean for silver, gold, copper, cobalt and zinc.

This creates sulfide deposits. The result? Increased toxicity in the region.

Marine Pollution Affects Sea Life:

I know, I know. That’s difficult to look at. Painful even.

But you know what? The truth hurts. Our lifestyles have led to this point. We have to acknowledge this. It’s the only way to move forward and correct our actions.

The best way to do that? Take a look at the damage being done.

Marine Animals:

As we discussed above, oil-spills, city runoff, eutrophication and pollution are killing marine life in large numbers.

But get this. It’s even changing their reproductive systems. So if they are somehow able to survive the pollution, their offspring won’t.

But the ripple of damage goes even further.

Coral Reefs:

You may have heard. Coral reefs are dying at an alarming rate. The truth?

We’ve already lost 27% of the planet’s coral reefs. Scientists estimate, if we continue on this path, that figure will double in 30 years.

That’s tragic because…

Despite only covering 1% of the ocean, coral reefs are home to over 25% of marine fish species.

How do coral reefs die?

It’s simple. Coral reefs live in tandem with algae. However, when that algae leaves the coral (due to all the reasons we listed above, pollution, runoff, eutrophication, etc), the coral becomes “bleached”.

Once bleached, it’s only a matter of time before it contracts a disease and dies.

Learn more with this great infographic provided by NOAA:

Human Health:

We should care about the ocean’s health. It’s where we get 70% of our oxygen. 97% of our water supply. It even absorbs 30% of our carbon emissions.

Need more proof we should care more about the ocean’s health?

Source: MastersDegree.net

Listen to this. Marine pollution can cause…

• Hormonal problems
• Reproductive problems
• Nervous system damage
• Kidney damage
• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Heart disease

Great. Now that I have your attention…let’s start talking solutions.

What Can You Do To Help Stop Marine Pollution?

Spread Awareness

You can start by sharing this article on Facebook with your friends. Remember, what famed educator John Dewey once famously said: “a problem well-defined, is half-solved”.

In other words…we can’t solve what we don’t know is wrong.

Sound the alarm. Tell your friends. Spread the word. Tell them how marine pollution affects sea life.

The ocean’s health—and therefore the planet’s health—depends on it.

Support Organizations That Fight Against Sea Pollution

This part’s easy. Support an organization like Dolphinaris that gives a portion of every sale towards protecting the ocean and its inhabitants.

In fact, Dolphinaris does even more than that.

• It’s why they invite some of the top veterinary students from the States to participated in a study sponsored by Cornell University.
• It’s why they sponsored their own bottlenose dolphin conservation program alongside Universidad Autónoma del Carmen.
• It’s why they created the incredible audio-visual journey called Blu Ocean Care, to help spread awareness.
• It’s why the International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM) selected Dolphinaris to host their 2017 conference.

So that’s our guide on How Marine Pollution Affects Sea Life. Please do us (and more importantly the ocean) a favor and share this article on Facebook. Thank you so much!

For further reading on this subject, consider these great sources below!

Sources:

www.mastersdegree.net/ocean-garbage/

https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Effects_of_Ocean_Pollution_on_Marine_Life

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-ocean-pollution.php

https://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/pollution/

https://www.grida.no/publications/rr/our-precious-coasts/page/1294.aspx

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/19/more-plastic-than-fish-in-the-sea-by-2050-warns-ellen-macarthur

https://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/coasts/coral_reefs/coral_facts/

https://www.divein.com/articles/ocean-pollution/

The post How Marine Pollution Affects Sea Life [The Shocking Truth] appeared first on Dolphinaris.

So why come to Cancun for your next vacation? Why travel international? I mean, you have to get to the airport 3 whole hours before. Is it really worth it? For Cancun? It really is. You see Cancun is not just some other beach destination. Sure, it has globally recognized beaches. Yes, the sand is soft as powder. The water? A rare kind of turquoise. There is no doubt: the beaches in Cancun deserve all the attention they get.

But Cancun is more than that…

Cancun sets the stage for you. It opens the door for new experiences. Here, anything is possible. If you want to make your bucket list shorter, you come to Cancun. Want an example? Every year thousands of people from all over the world come to Cancun to swim with dolphins. It’s easy to see why. Dolphins are friendly, intelligent, and playful. To be in their presence is hard to describe with words. For those who have never had the good fortune, it is something you should do at least once in your life. But where to swim with a dolphin in Cancun? Where can you find the best prices for dolphin swims in Cancun? You’re in luck. Just follow everything here: how-to guide on finding the BEST prices for dolphin swims in Cancun. If you do that, you’re sure to get the best dolphin swim at a price that matches you budget. It’s really that easy.

1. Chat with live assistants.

Want to know a secret? It’ll earn you money just by knowing it. Ok. All you have to do is visit Dolphinaris. Once you’re there, look at the bottom right hand corner. Give it a second or two to load. Do you see a small window pop up? That’s a live chat assistant. You can ask them anything. Even better? You can ask them for the best prices for dolphin swims in Cancun. These live chat assistants have the authority to give you a special deal. Special deals mean more value for you, for less dollars. Not bad right? You see? Aren’t you happy now that you know that secret?

2. Look for combos

Ok. This idea is so stupid simple, you’re gonna wish you thought of it yourself. Here’s why. Instead of just buying a dolphin swim, go for combos. Combos will give you the best prices on dolphin swims in Cancun. You end up getting the dolphin swim PLUS something extra. To make a point… If you go to Dolphinaris, you can see they have a Venturapark Combo deal. Buy any dolphin swim, and you get a Wet’n Wild Waterslide Park pass. How much extra? Nothing. Zilch. Just pay for the dolphin swim, and you get in Wet’n Wild 100% for free. Does that have your attention? Good. Because that’s not all. You also get it all-inclusive. Free drinks. Free food. We’re not talking about some crumbled crackers and flat soda. This is delicious cuisines and premium cocktails. Not enough? At Dolphinaris Riviera Maya, they offer the Triple Adventure Program. Three dolphin activities for the price of one! Try to beat that. Like where this is going? Good. Because we’re just getting started. If you book early at Dolphinaris, you get 50% off your dolphin swim. But you have to act fast. The promotion is set to expire with one week. Remember the Triple Adventure Program? It offers 3 dolphin activities for the price of 1. That by itself is a great deal. Guess what? It just got sweeter. If you book now, get 50% off the Triple Adventure Program. Remember, these deals are set to expire soon. Act now and save big bucks.

3. Pick a dolphinarium near you

One way to save money even before getting there is transportation. Best way to do that, is pick a dolphinarium near you. Let me guess: you’re in Cancun? Perfect. Head over to Ventura Park in Cancun’s Hotel Zone. It’s on KM 25. Inside there you’ll find Dolphinaris (and Wet’n Wild ;)). Staying in Playa del Carmen? Head over to Dolphinaris Riviera Maya. It’s about a 25-minute drive. Closer to Akumal? Try Dolphinaris Barcelo. For those in Cozumel, there’s Dolphinaris Cozumel. Tulum? You guess it. Try Dolphinaris Tulum.

4. Get more from your experience

To get the most of your experience, get the Trainer-for-a-day program. This isn’t your ordinary dolphin swim. No. With this, you get to live a day in the life of a dolphin trainer! How awesome is that? This is a full day program. You’ll get to do everything the trainer does. They’ll teach you everything you need to know. Who knows? Someday it may be you teaching other travelers. Wow. Wasn’t that fun? That’s our 4 step how-to guide finding the BEST prices on dolphin swims in Cancun.

The post Find the BEST prices on dolphin swims in Cancun [4 Step How-to guide] appeared first on Dolphinaris.

Throughout the ages, man has been fascinated by dolphins. Stories come down to us from earliest recorded history of friendly interactions between dolphins and humans. These tales fascinate us, children and adults alike, and make us want to have our own encounters with these magnificent and highly intelligent mammals of the sea.

The dreams of interacting with dolphins now come true for many people at any one of several Dolphinaris facilities in the Riviera Maya, like the dolphin swim in Cancun. In beautifully designed, natural like settings right on the coast, you can enjoy swimming with dolphins. Always under the supervision of caring professional trainers. They will ensure that the experience is safe and fun for both human and dolphin. Here are some tips to consider when you are ready to live the dolphin swim dream.

Listen and Learn

The best Advice for Swimming with Dolphins, listen and learn. The dolphin trainers at Dolphinaris are skilled professionals, fully informed about the physiology, habits and every aspect of dolphin behavior. And they are eager to share their knowledge with you! So take advantage of this great opportunity of learning from them so you can more fully benefit from the dolphin swim experience. For the same reason, the more you learn about dolphins, even before you take your dolphin swim, the more fulfilling your trip will be.

Your health matters

Remember, this is an emotional, adrenaline filled and physical experience. If you are pregnant or have a heart or back problem, you can still enjoy the wonder of seeing the dolphins swim, play and interact with humans without putting your health at risk. The Dolphinaris settings are beautiful tropical retreats, complete with food, drinks and stations with the best view of the action. You don’t have to be an Olympic swimmer to take a dolphin ride. But you should feel comfortable in the water and be able to move around by yourself.

Take only your bathing suit to the dolphin swim party

Dolphins have highly sensitive skin. So don’t wear sunscreen, oils, perfumes or lotions when you enter the lagoon areas. Likewise, electronic devices, jewelry, watches and even hats should be left on dry land, in order to avoid any risk to the dolphins. The parts of their physiology that are particularly sensitive are the eyes, blowhole, snout, and melon.

Relax and enjoy

This is your chance to interact on a personal level with dolphins! At Dolphinaris, highly caring trainers are with you at all times. You can hug, kiss and even ride with a dolphin. And you will know that all has been done to ensure that this experience will be the best possible for both you and these amazing creatures.

The post Tips and Advice for Swimming with Dolphins appeared first on Dolphinaris.

A lot of travelers and tourists come to the Riviera Maya in search of relaxation and enjoyment. Typically, they are attracted by the beauty of the Caribbean beaches and the stunning clear blue sea. But, there is a whole lot more to discover and to do while spending time in this marvelous place.

Why not swim with dolphins and live a unique experience? Dolphins are one of the most incredibly kind and friendly of all creatures. Learn more about them in your favorite Dolphinaris location and enjoy its comfortable and safe facilities. Discover them in this infographic.

Don’t forget you can also have double dosis of fun, visiting Ventura Park Cancun while swimming with dolphins at Dolphinaris Cancun.

So now you know all of Dolphinaris Facilities and Locations tell us which one is your favorite at Facebook or Instagram

Posted by Dolphinaris Blog

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If you are traveling to the Riviera Maya, there are some ‘must do’s’ you shouldn’t miss. You must snorkel with dolphins, you must taste tacos, you must go to a beach party, and of course you must swim with dolphins.

There is a perfect place where you can enjoy this experience: Dolphinaris. It has five beautiful locations where you can interact with these amazing creatures.

Check these dolphin swim and interactive programs and get prepared to have the time of your life!

Post by Dolphinaris Blog

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