Galeo: a very happy dolphin (according to French law)

How is Galeo?

Not much better apparently, since One Voice rose warning bells for this little dolphin, exiled with Aicko in the Planete Sauvage (Wild Planet) aquarium. There has been no enquiry led by competent veterinary services as was requested. But when reading the planned ministerial decree fixing "the general characteristics and the rules governing the functioning of establishments holding or presenting living cetacean specimens to the public", all dolphins born in captivity are perfectly adapted to their restricted lives. Galeo is therefore a happy dolphin, capable of coping with all of the constraints of life in captivity with an eternal smile. Soon, if the decree is passed, there will be hundreds of Galeos produced in France, for the internal market but also for exportation to Dubai or China. And the sole purpose of this is to satisfy the economic fantasies of a wolf killing minister who would like to see the dolphin slavery industry take off in France, like in the golden days.

Why is this planned decree dangerous?

The beginning seems pretty good: " all detention of cetaceans is banned in France." Banned? No, of course not, let's not dream! All those already captive six months after the application of the decree and all dolphins born in captivity can be kept. According to this decree, these "specimens" are perfectly adapted to the conditions as set by the law. These standards are taken on the whole from the minimum quality criteria fixed by EAZA*. Strangely, they also correspond to the installation that Beauval zoo had planned to build for its own future dolphinarium. We know this zoo had to backpedal under consumer pressure but no doubt it still dreams of completing this project, and they are not the only ones…

This decree seems to have been written a century ago

A senseless workload is authorised for the dolphins with five shows permitted and twelve hours of night-time isolation! If the importance of the social group is finally recognised, three orcas are considered to be a completely suitable group, which is far removed from normal " pods" which are generally made up of more than one hundred cetacean individuals, but will without doubt allow Marineland in Antibes to keep going some more years. As in the 1960's, "specimen" movements are encouraged to form artificial families in other pools across the world, to avoid inbreeding and to increase the global herd of available circus animals. This project opens up a loophole for the obsolete and blatant exploitation of captive cetaceans, turning its back on the movement which has crossed the United States and Europe since the broadcasting of the Blackfish documentary.

Must we remind the Minister that the commercial giant SeaWorld is sinking a little more every day into financial abyss?

That the Baltimore aquarium imagines creating a vast marine sanctuary in the Caribbean for its remaining captive dolphins? That Barcelona zoo is thinking along the same lines? That the last Finland dolphinarium had to close its doors because of a lack of visitors? That there are several projects across the world to develop scientifically monitored marine sanctuaries for captive cetaceans? And it is at this point in time that the minister would like to relaunch a dying industry with a useless, obsolete and devastating decree?!

Let's be serious! We ask the minister to end the progression of this planned decree, and to instead lead a think-tank on the economic future of attraction parks without captive animals. As for the young dolphins Galeo and Aicko, we ask for their protection from the rest of the group until a satisfactory solution can be found for them.

* European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Standards and policies
http://www.eaza.net/assets/Uploads/Standards-and-policies/Standards-for-the-Accommodation-and-Care-of-Animals-2014.pdf