Dolphinariums: the industry attacks protective measures, One Voice fights back!
The
decree taken on May 7th
by the Ministry of the Environment, under the authority of Ségolène
Royal, is today attacked before the State Council by the
dolphinariums, represented by Marineland Antibes (06), Parc Astérix
of Plailly (60) and Planète Sauvage of Port-Saint-Père (44). This
action for annulment is doubled by a request for the suspension of
the decree, to be judged by the State Council this Monday, July 31st
at 10:30 am. In summary, this is to obtain a stay on the
implementation of measures to improve the conditions of detention of
captive cetaceans …
False arguments
Remember
that the decree in question prohibits the possession of any new
cetacean from November 7th
and requires changes in the operating conditions for the animals
currently held. The owners will argue that these developments
(especially the work to enlarge the pools, to be carried out in under
3 years) are too expensive, and if they can be written off just for
the life of the few individuals that are already captive. A curious
argument from those who claim to have the welfare of cetaceans at the
heart of their concerns: the average life expectancy of 20 years lent
to the cetaceans concerned is fully compatible with the depreciation
value of the work prescribed, particularly in relation to the profit
generated by this activity each year.
For
One Voice and all the scientific experts working with them, the
arguments put forward today by dolphinariums in their actions for an
appeal are misleading. To argue that the prohibition of reproductions
planned in the context of trade is detrimental to the welfare of
dolphins is debatable, even more so by establishments where
commercial logic dominates all.
Numerous
scientific reports, notably those provided by One Voice to the
Ministry, attest that captivity is inherently harmful to the welfare
of cetaceans. Cetaceans are made for the open sea and not for
concrete ponds. For the association, to see today the marine parks
setting themselves up as defenders of the happy sexuality of these
captives (if they produce new prisoners, these subjects of
attraction), really leaves one wondering.
Voices of the many begin to rise
A
world-renowned marine biologist and expert, Dr. Naomi Rose said:
“Contrary to industry’s claims, this reproductive ban will not
have a significant impact on dolphin welfare – which could even
improve. Many centres are already regulating conceptions by
separating male and female individuals during their favourable
hormonal cycles, checking the levels of hormones in the urine of
female dolphins every morning. Without having to physically bear a
pregnancy and birth, and without the psychological threat of seeing
her new-born die early in an unsuitable concrete pool. These dolphins
might even be less stressed than they are now. Is it necessary to
recall that captivity already deprives cetaceans of many natural
behaviours, in particular their ability to swim in a straight line
over long distances, much greater than just a few strokes of the
tail. To be able to dive deep, beyond just a few
meters, to hunt and
to feed oneself. It is no coincidence that the industry talks about
dolphin abuse only and not about their ability to produce more
exploitable captive dolphins. “
A
lawyer for the rights of animals, legal consultant for One Voice,
Arielle Moreau adds: “The dolphinariums want to continue to
enjoy an absolute property right on these beings and be able to make
them work as they please, to exchange them, to control their
sexuality and their motherhood, to dispose of their babies and their
children at will, without any regard for their desires and needs.
They are in denial of their needs and their nature because for them,
orcas and dolphins belong to them they are deprived of their own
existence and exist only to serve the interests of these commercial
companies. Dolphins and orcas are autonomous individuals, highly
intelligent and sensitive, they have the right to be protected and
recognized as a person. “
Other
voices are added to the concert of oppositions to the recourse of the
captive industry: John Hargrove, 14 years as a specialized healer,
former head of the Orques Marineland Antibes, brings all his support
and experience, the suffering experienced by cetaceans in captivity.
The testimony given to One Voice by this American specialist, reminds
all those interested of the current regulatory framework: “There
is no ecological or conservation reason to breed dolphins in
captivity and none of those that have been bred in Marineland have
been released to repopulate the oceans. This clearly underlines the
commercial motivations of the Marineland operation, at a time when
the park is trying to evade by all means of the new regulations,
which ultimately means the end of the cruel suffering endured by
these captive animals. Thank you to everyone in France who fought for
such legislation. You are now spearheading the fight that has resumed
in other countries, including the United States. “
Finally,
Dr. Pierre Gallego, veterinarian-consultant, brings his medical point
of view to the record: “Dolphins are extremely intelligent
animals that have a very complex social life and hunting techniques
that are extremely elaborate. All of these behaviours cannot be
accomplished in captivity. In addition, the pools are totally bare,
there is no sand, no rocks, no algae, no fish, and the water is
chlorinated. Not to mention the depth of the pools which is at the
maximum of 5-7 meters, which gives them no opportunity to behave
naturally. In addition, captive groups are formed by park managers,
which creates synthetic groups, whereas in nature groups are made and
disbanded according to the social structure of Tursiops described as
fusion / fission. These synthetic groups are frozen and individuals
have no opportunity to avoid each other in cases of aggression, which
is quite common among dolphins. The result from this is tremendous
stress that can lead to gastric ulcers and other health problems, not
to mention the wounds dolphins can inflict on themselves and each
other, while in nature this could be avoided. “
For
all these reasons, One Voice, the French representative of the
Dolphinaria-Free Europe coalition, calls on the political and
judicial authorities not to question the latest texts regulating this
commercial activity. Recalling that controlled reproduction in the
pools, by contraceptive means or the management of groups, should
only serve the expression of a natural sexuality among the prisoners,
not to perpetuate the exploitation of generations of captives in a
totally dehumanized logic of financial accounting.
The
ministerial decree of May 7th,
2017 gave the dolphins and orcas currently captive real hopes: that
of seeing their living conditions substantially improved and
especially that of being the last of their species to live in France
in this unbearable detention. Ethics, common sense and humanity must
continue to prevail over commercial logic.
President of One Voice, Muriel
Arnal says: “We are surprised at the sudden urgency invoked by
the industry and the timing of these recourses … in the middle of
summer. The ministerial decree of May 7th
gives priority to the dignity of sentient beings endowed with
cultures and languages, over the economic interests. It must be above
all maintained. By putting an end to family rifts and mourning the
deaths related to breeding programs, this text will improve the
living conditions of dolphins and orcas. And these will be the last
detainees in France, so badly deprived of freedom and their
fundamental rights. Ethics, common sense and humanity must continue
to prevail over commercial logic. “