Open letter to Nicolas Kremer, CEO Park Asterix

Subject: Concerns about dolphins

Dear Mr Nicolas Kremer,

We have learned that during the weekend of 23-24 January 2021, Guama and Cessol were transferred from Parc Astérix dolphinarium to Kolmården Wildlife Park in Sweden.

DFE is deeply concerned about the conditions of their transfer and the fact that neither of the dolphins is being held in isolation from the existing dolphin group at Kolmården. This failure to quarantine the animals and the transport caretakers as the permit conditions required, to guard against the transmission of the COVID-19 virus to people and dolphins, is irresponsible and frankly inexplicable during this global pandemic.

We understand that one of the two males is to be transferred yet again, to Nuremberg Zoo in Germany. Given the stress he will inevitably suffer during this subsequent transport and relocation, as well as having to settle with another group of dolphins, we feel he should have remained at Parc Astérix until a definitive solution was found for his ultimate disposition.

Given the little that we know, which is already extremely alarming, we are deeply concerned about the welfare of the other animals, at Parc Astérix and Kolmården, and we would ask you to provide us with a status report of each of Parc Astérix’s remaining dolphins, in particular Femke, and updates on how and when they were, or are to be, transferred.

We look forward to receiving a swift and honest response from you.

Yours sincerely,
Dolphinaira-Free Europe