From Flipper’s keeper to activist

Ric O’Barry made his name capturing and training the dolphins for the ‘Flipper’ television series. But after one of them died in his arms, O’Barry has since dedicated his life to saving dolphins and whales

By Catherine Shu / STAFF REPORTER

RO: I do. I stay in touch with them. Mr Ryono is still in Taiji. He is like the vice mayor now and the spokesman, he flip-flopped and changed his story [Ryono has since said he was misled by filmmakers into appearing in The Cove]. Mr Yamashita is the real hero in this story. He was born in Taiji, he lived there all of his life and he had to leave. He was ostracized. He’s now driving a taxicab outside of Tokyo. He should be the minister for the environment and someday he will be a national hero in Japan, once this movie gets seen and people realize that he is a national hero. They don’t know who he is because they haven’t seen this movie. There were some people in Minamata in the 1950s that spoke out against the government and the Chisso factory and they too were ostracized, but today they are national heroes. It’s going to take some time before Mr Yamashita is recognized.

On the Net:

Ric O’Barry: www.savejapandolphins.org The Cove: www.thecovemovie.com

Urban Nomad Film Festival:

urbannomadfilmfest.blogspot.com

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