Dolphin Therapy Bali
- Meet our dolphins -
Welcome to the Dolphin Pool at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in Lovina, Bali.
The home of dolphins Gombloh,Ucil, John and Jack.
The dolphins at Melka are very special. Three have been rescued from a circus where they were severely mistreated, and one was injured in a fishing net. Here they have recovered their health. Now they work with humans for play and healing. If you come to the dolphin pool you are entering their home. In the ocean, dolphins travel great distances and have complete freedom to move quickly wherever they wish to go. They can choose whether or not to interact with humans. So here we must respect their space.
Did you know that researchers believe that:
- Dolphins have their own language with up to a trillion words
- Dolphin brains are larger than human brains and have 40% more thinking ability
- Dolphins have abilities to heal humans that we do not yet fully understand.
- Dolphins once walked on land
- Dolphins use sonar to locate items and communicate
- Dolphins are intelligent creatures who have capabilities equal to or exceeding humans
Meet our dolphins, Gombloh, Ucil, John and Jack!
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Ucil |
Gombloh |
Gombloh and Ucil are a male and female dolphin couple who perform the shows and live in the therapy pool. They were captured by fishermen in nets and sold to a circus where they were mistreated. The hotel owner rescued them and brought them from Jakarta to the hotel in 2006.
Gombloh is king of the pool. He is a guardian of his home. You can see him patrolling with his eyes and sensing everything that is going on. He is a warrior, always alert and watching. Watch his head move from side to side as he scans the action around his home, always alert, always watching for danger. He hears you and he feels your emotions. If you are quiet, you can feel him sensing you. Clear you mind and wait and see if you feel his scan in your body. Gombloh is an alpha male who rarely allows strong men in his pool.
Ucil is a young female dolphin who lives with Gombloh in the therapy pool as his mate and companion. She is very feminine and loves to be admired. When she is in a girly mood, you may see here showing off her jewelry, pink and yellow rings she wears around her neck or on her flippers feeling very fashionable. In the water, she is playful and fast, and surprises you from behind, nudges your body and looks right at you. When she is with a therapy patient in the water she moves to the area of the body that needs healing and weaves around the place or gently nudges the location.
Like many couples, Ucil and Gombloh can disagree. Ucil wisely moves to the small pool until her mate cools off and waits. Sometimes she even teases him by speaking to the two male dolphins, John and Jack in the other lagoon.
John and Jack are two male dolphins who play together in the other pool. John was the first dolphin to come to the hotel. He was rescued from a circus where he was living in chlorinated water and was blinded. John was beaten, his teeth were broken and he lived in a small pool where he was left to die. He was rescued and brought to the Melka where he has gained back weight and lived for two years. Jack is his younger friend who plays and swims with him and guides him around the pool. Both of them began their lives in the ocean and were caught in the nets of fishermen, a dangerous problem for dolphins. You will see them rough housing and tumbling like young boys in the pool and we take special care when you are in the pool with them for your safety. Dolphin play can be rough for humans so please follow the instructions of the handlers and limit your time in the water or enjoy watching them play from the side of the pool.
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Jack |
John |
You may see our dolphins in the show, view them in the pools, swim with them, or even have a special therapy treatment. Just being in the presence of dolphins is a rare and special experience and fun for the family.
In addition to our shows and interaction, the dolphins are part of a human dolphin therapy program that is changing lives. Children and adults are working with therapists and the dolphins to pinpoint illness and see if dolphin interaction can lead to healing. You may see this in the pool, if so, please be as quiet as possible and watch the extraordinary interaction unfold. The dolphins know instinctively where disease exists and help the therapists identify the problem. There is much we do not know about the benefits of this therapy but are learning more each day. There are no guarantees for healing or dramatic changes, but many people report subtle changes in the body and emotions after encounters with dolphins. If you would like to learn more about the program or apply for an appointment, fill out the Dolphin Assisted Therapy Application Form on the website, www.balidolphintherapy.com.
Many cultures around the world believe that dolphins are sacred animals.
From the beginning of time, there are many stories and legends of dolphins saving humans from drowning and pinpointing illness and healing.
At Melka we have a dream: to create an education center where people and dolphins will learn from one another. We hope that someday people will stop abusing dolphins, catching them in fishing nets, and hunting them. Until then, there are many dolphins who need to be rescued and people who want to learn more about their lives and interact with them. If you would like to learn more about the education center as it develops, or make a contribution in the future, please contact us at Melka Excelsior Hotel Resort Bali.
Welcome to Melka!
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