- The 47-year-old dolphin lives at the Dolphin Marine Magic park in Australia
- Bucky is used for 'entertaining crowds' by hoop jumping and doing flips
- It was revealed on TV show Bondi Vet in 2013 that the dolphin had cancer
Conservationists are outraged that an elderly dolphin in Australia is being forced to work in captivity and entertain crowds on a daily basis - despite having a history of cancer.
The captive bottlenose called Bucky, has been living at the Dolphin Marine Magic park in Coffs Harbour for 47 years, ever since he was rescued at the age of six months.
The performing mammal 'entertains crowds', according to the park's website, a role which has him jumping through hoops, doing flips and offering 'dolphin kisses' for paying customers. His performance has been described by campaigners as a 'demeaning circus show.'
The captive bottlenose called Bucky, has been living at the Dolphin Marine Magic park in Coffs Harbour for 47 years, ever since he was rescued at the age of six months
The performing animal is required to 'entertain crowds', according to its website, which include jumping through hoops, doing flips and offering 'dolphin kisses' for paying customers
According to The Dodo, Bucky's cancer was revealed to the public in 2013, in an episode of the TV series Bondi Vet.
In the show, Bucky's trainer, Greg Pickering, had asked presenter Dr Chris Brown to look at some suspect lumps in the dolphin's mouth. These were allegedly confirmed to be cancerous.
Although he is in remission, the dolphin still has the strain of old age to contend with. The average life span of dolphins is 40 to 50 years, and 47 is said to be an equivalent of 80 in human years.
The park's website states that Bucky is the oldest dolphin of six animals in the attraction and is 'currently being transitioned into retirement.'
However Sarah Lucas, CEO of Australia for Dolphins, told The Dodo that Bucky is still required to participate in some of the two or three daily dolphin shows.
Lucas commented: 'When we spoke to a staff member, he said Bucky does most shows, but we don't know how many he does per day precisely.'
'Bucky is considered the star performer. As with all aspects of dolphin captivity, the animals are used because they draw in crowds, and thus draw in money for the park.'
'If you add into the equation the fact that Bucky is recovering from cancer, it is beyond belief that he still participates in outdated, circus-style shows.'
She also said that is breaks her heart that the creature has been forced to spend years swimming between two tiny concrete pools, along with daily duties of jumping through hoops.
Critics have said Bucky (right) and fellow dolphins are forced to perform regular shows for guests
A report on the Australia For Dolphins website said Bucky's duties include 'demeaning circus shows and pulling heavy tourists around on his back.'
But the CEO of Dolphin Marine Magic, Paige Sinclair, said in a report by Australian public broadcasting network SBS, that the dolphins are not overworked.
'Our animals need enrichment and they just can't be not doing anything,' she says. 'It's like putting a Kelpie in a backyard.
'The work that they do is what gives our guests the greatest pleasure; the ability to inspect, connect and touch and then possibly change their behaviour at their homes when they go home.'
Sinclair said that the park's dolphins perform on a rotational basis, and get regular days off. She also denied claims that dolphins were forced to give visitors 'rides.'
Conservationists are concerned about the high level on interaction visitors have with the dolphins
Dolphin Marine Magic is one of two marine parks in Australia that has dolphins in captivity, the other being Sea World on the Gold Coast in Queensland.
The article on Australia for Dolphins says the team are 'working with a local dolphin rehabilitation organisation to promote the establishment of a sea sanctuary near Coffs Harbour, where Bucky and his family could have the lives they deserve in the ocean.'
Peta's director, Mimi Bekhechi, told MailOnline Travel: 'Tourists who swim with captive dolphins are free to leave the pool, but for the animals, it's a lifetime prison sentence.
'Poor Bucky was not rescued but seized as an asset to help this park make money, forced to spend decades performing stupid tricks that he doesn't understand in a tiny chlorinated tank, and robbed of any semblance of a real life complete with friends, family, and the opportunity to dive and make decisions.
'In the wild, dolphins swim up to 50 miles a day with their family pods. The only 'trick' that kind-hearted people want to see is the disappearance of Dolphin Marine Magic.'
MailOnline Travel has contacted Dolphin Marine Magic for comment.
Dolphin Marine Magic is one of two marine parks in Australia that has dolphins in captivity, the other being Sea World on the Gold Coast in Queensland
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