Scandal around the death of the dolphin Aïcko!

On November 6^th 2016, we learned of the death of a young dolphin Aïcko, which occurred while we had filed a complaint for him and his brother Galéo. Since then, we have continued with our efforts. So, we had an expert evaluation done, at our expense. Because what had happened to him had to be known! It will have taken a year… If the suffering of Aïcko remains incontestable, some conclusions from the expert leave us completely perplexed.

The terrible death of Aïcko

We cannot put into words on how to describe the suffering of Aïcko in his last minutes of life.

He had just been force-fed, with whole fish, when he should, as he was weak, been fed from a tube with minced food. He was vomiting through the blowhole when he was put back in the water – against all logic! – and began to drown, then he threw himself against a wall.

The autopsy showed that his larynx was dislocated … An obvious consequence of forced feeding, according to Dr Peter Gallego, cetacean veterinarian and consultant for One Voice. Not for the expert though! who agrees with both theories, that the asphyxiation can be linked to swallowing the wrong way but also suggests that the dislocation of the larynx could have occurred after the death! One certainty remains, Aïcko drowned and the autopsy report has many imperfections, on this, everyone agrees. But difficult to do otherwise, after the opinion given at our request by two specialists in this field of work! It should be noted, however, that performing an imperfect autopsy is to avoid conclusions that could confirm errors in the management of Aïcko’s illness…

Preceded by months of suffering

Not only did Aïcko lose weight, but he had to deal with multiple aggression from other dolphins. The expert noted about once a week! But we had already recorded this. Dr Naomi Rose, a famous marine mammal specialist, whom we had brought to seeAïckojust before his death, testified to multiple characteristic wounds, in the form of “raking”… According to Dr Gallego, this weakened him to the point of becoming ill. And nothing to do with what happens in nature, as the expert would have liked to believe: Aïcko had no other choice, he was locked up with his attackers and could not dodge them or flee from them! The ultimate irony, the expert even considers that captivity helps to avoid the stresses of foraging for food in the wild! Which is a very personal concept of their well-being.

A very rough follow-up

Aïcko’s medical follow-up, whilst wasting away, is shocking. Since his arrival at the dolphinarium, his blood tests indicated that he was dehydrated, anaemic, and was suffering from an inflammation, but nothing concrete had been done to remedy it! This is what Dr Gallego points out, recent references in support, when the expert denies it based on obsolete data… Even when he began to lose weight, nobody cared. It took five months, one could have taken care of him and he lost 25% of his initial weight, when he should have been putting on weight and growing up, less than a month or so before his death…

One Voice is angry

We are deeply shocked by the confusing conclusions from the evaluation that was conducted. For One Voice, which works with internationally renowned cetaceans specialists, a second opinion is needed.

We are challenging this report and we will go to the judge again. In memory of Aïcko, and for all the victims of the dolphinariums, we will win the case. Support our campaign and sign and share our petition for the closure of dolphinariums.

Freedom for dolphins and orcas!