Who we are
The Project «Hug the Dolphin» is a community of like-minded volunteers who are in love with the sea. We create eye-opening materials about marine mammals and conduct master classes for children.
Our values
freedom of choice
Our brochures invite the readers to make their own conscious choice about the topics covered.
All our texts are corrected by professional child psychologists. We respect all points of view, we do not impose our own one, and we invite young readers to make sense of it all by themselves.
The Project is completely non-commercial and financed from the personal funds of the authors of the Project. We do not collect donations, you will not find advertisements in our brochures and on the website. All electronic versions are available on the website for download in pdf format. Young readers receive all printed materials free of charge.
freedom of choice
Watch a cartoon
We would like to tell the children those facts about dolphins that they will not be able to find in textbooks and on television — about the real life of these amazing creatures. Our goal is to wake up in every child a little whale, who is sleeping somewhere very deep inside…
We would like to tell the children those facts about dolphins that they will not be able to find in textbooks and on television — about the real life of these amazing creatures. Our goal is to wake up in every child a little whale, who is sleeping somewhere very deep inside…
This is a story about a small dolphin who got into the net of poachers and was rescued by a man. The whole book is decorated with wonderful illustrations. Every second page of the book also contains inserts with facts about the life of dolphins. Such a book can be safely read to a child as a bedtime story because it teaches goodness and care for the environment and broadens general horizons.
Amazing facts about marine mammals
Marine mammals number about 128 species, which is 2.7% of the total number of mammals in the world.
Marine mammals evolved from terrestrial animals that returned to the sea at some point in their evolution. Sirens and cetaceans descend from the ancestors of ungulates. Pinnipeds, sea otters, and polar bears all descend from ancient canines.
Marine mammals, like all representatives of this class, feed their offspring with milk. The streamlined body shape speed up their movement in water, and a thick layer of subcutaneous fat keeps them warm.
Dolphins sleep about 8 hours a night, swimming near the surface of the water or in shallow water. The dolphin’s brain is designed so that while one half of it is asleep, the other is awake and is responsible for breathing.
Why are dolphinaria not a proper place for dolphins?
Dolphins are emotional, sensuous and highly conscious creatures. All their hardships in captivity and separation from their families result in the fact that besides their health deterioration they become depressed, and this depression gets stronger and stronger every day.
Lack of movement
Offshore, dolphins cover huge
distances every day, up to 150
km, and dive to great depths.
Even the biggest pool cannot
offer such an opportunity.
"Bad" water
Dolphinarium water contains a great amount of harmful
chemical substances. Dolphins'
skin suffers and their vision
deteriorates, up to the case that
a dolphin can lose its sight and
get blind.
Improper nutrition
In the open sea, dolphins catch live fish for food, and from that fish they get fresh water required for their life.
In the dolphinarium, the animals'
diet consists of dead fish, in which
there is practically no water. And
fresh clean water is given to them
through a tube probe which is
inserted into the animal's
esophagus.
The life in captivity
In the wild, dolphins do not
jump through a hoop, do not
ride people. These tricks are
taught to them for the
performances, the only purpose
of which is to raise money for the
owners of the show.
10,000+ dolphins are kept in captivity in dolphinaria around the world
Dolphins and whales should not be used for entertainment, medical and other purposes. They have the right not to be subject to human interference.
Watching dolphins and whales can only take place in natural
conditions and must be regulated by international norms to guarantee
their peace and safety.
We stand for
complete abolition of capturing marine mammals
rehabilitation and release of all captive marine mammals
prohibition of further keeping marine mammals in
captivity for any purpose
Our books
Marine Mammals
Life in Natural Conditions and in Captivity.
Audience: 10-15 years old.
Choose the language:
Choose the language:
Kiki, the Dolphin, Meets People.
Audience: 4-9 years old.
Choose the language:
What can I do?
Disseminate this information by any means available to you
Discuss this topic with your children
Watch dolphins only in their natural setting
If you have any questions, get in touch with us
