A Tilikum amongst the lions

A Tilikum amongst the lions
08.05.2017
France
A Tilikum amongst the lions
Exploitation for shows

On the 7th of May at Doullens, Chirkane attacked his trainer in front of a hundred or so spectators. One Voice is categorically against his euthanasia. Join us in in our fight to place him under our care and into a sanctuary.

The lion is a wild and dangerous animal, who can deny this? Despite being born in captivity, he hasn’t lost his DNA as far as we are aware. At the age of six, a lion is already an adult, roaming with his friends then resting in the sun, under the Serengeti sky. But in a circus, he has no bushland, no open space, no sun. He has nothing but the cage and the circus ring.

The attack that Chirkane is being blamed for is no crime. It was a moment of frustration, not an attack with intention to kill*. What is not natural, on the other hand, is to lock up a feline in a tiny cage and to only let him out for training and shows under a noisy big top. It’s to inflict him with endless lorry travel. What is criminal, is to deny him everything that makes him a lion. Chirkane had enough and simply wanted to be a lion, in the same way as the orca Tilikum, who killed his SeaWorld trainer, just wanted to be an orca. A real one.

But sadly the Tilikum of the ring is not an orca. He is not worth millions of dollars. Circuses and zoos produce as many lion cubs like Chirkane as cats produce litters. When they malfunction we throw them away and replace them.

He wanted to « dominate »? No, in the circuses, it is the trainers who want to dominate! Chirkane just wanted to say stop. Sunday was the one show too far. Suddenly, he couldn’t stand the bullying orders anymore. He couldn’t stand to return to his cage, to wait on the urine soaked sawdust for the next hostile session. So he did as lions do: he neutralised the intruder so that he would leave him alone. He reacted like a lion. And we want to kill him for that.

One Voice, who regularly warn of the dangers of circus animals, is deeply sorry for the trainer for whom it wishes a rapid and total recovery.

If proof were necessary, this drama proves to us once again that wild animals have no place in the circus. It is urgent that France bans this outdated practice, as have so many other countries in the world.

To ask for Tilly the Lion’s freedom, and for him to be immediately assigned into One Voice’s care, please write to the
Environment Minister.

* « Lions are excellent wild predators that have no place in the circus. The predator instinct is deeply engrained in felines (even in domestic cats). Every animal can be subject to a moment of aggressive behaviour, whether that be caused by a lack of well-being, by pain or by stress. But the consequences of such an attack can vary depending on whether we are talking about a Chihuahua or a lion.

* « Lions are excellent wild predators that have no place in the circus. The predator instinct is deeply engrained in felines (even in domestic cats). Every animal can be subject to a moment of aggressive behaviour, whether that be caused by a lack of well-being, by pain or by stress. But the consequences of such an attack can vary depending on whether we are talking about a Chihuahua or a lion.

In the lion’s case, there was no fatal attack; it was just a moment of irritation. If a lion intends to kill, he would kill via the throat in seconds ». Dr Pierre Gellego, consultant veterinarian.

A planned end to dolphinariums in France!

A planned end to dolphinariums in France!
06.05.2017
A planned end to dolphinariums in France!
Exploitation for shows

Associations united in their fight, The Animal Code, Dolphin Connection, One Voice, Cetacean Network and Sea Shepherd have received with joy and relief the definitive text of the new « dolphinariums » decree, signed on May 3 by Ségolène Royal for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Environment.

Sometimes welcomed openly by other associations, the text submitted for public consultation last February has been fought for right up until the last moment by these associations. Disappointed with the scope of improving the written text that dates from 1981, they demanded a repeal and the dismantling of the dolphinariums. These demands, the lobbying action, files and reports provided as well by a very strong public support (more than 16,000 comments on 4,500 pages of public consultation) were listened to. This represents a victory for environmental democracy and for the animal cause.

Indeed, among the advances in this final text, which is to improve several points and conditions of detention of captive cetaceans (orcas and
dolphins) in 4 French dolphinariums. A major modification was introduced by the Minister at our request: in six months, when this
text is fully implemented, French law will prohibit the captive detention of all cetaceans, except those already held. Clearly, this means the end of breeding programs, trade or importation, programs maintaining a deadly system, tearing apart the families of cetaceans that are exploited. Without a possible renewal, it simply means the end of the circus of marine life on our territory, and this French
advance is historic.

The Dolphin Connection, through Christophe Wszolek, declares: « We consider that captivity no longer has a place in our modern societies and that this new version of the decree goes in the right direction and opens the way for definitive cessation of captivity.  »

Muriel Arnal, One Voice rejoices: « Without letting ourselves be lured by a smoke screen that did not in any way regulate the purpose and the cruelty of the delphinarium circuit, we fought against all odds for a fair stand. Our struggle and the support of the French people has borne fruit. This is the end to an unworthy slavery of our time, and our gratitude to those who have contributed to its demise.”

Sandra Guyomard of Cetaceans Network, salutes for her part the arbitration rendered by Ségolène Royal: « A fair decision, a step for a
dolphinariums free France. The real show is to seen in the wild.  »

Lamya Essemlali of Sea Shepherd also welcomes this decision: « Captivity is the unworthy legacy from another era. It is time that France, like
many other countries finishes and looks to the future. We are pleased
to see today that it is taking the right path.  »

Anne-Sophie Riing of Animal Code: « Our decision to refuse the first decree was difficult to make and we had hesitated for a long time, fearing
that we had already reached a current political limit, we are happy that France is now ready today to finally turn the page. We sincerely
thank all the actors who have participated in this breakthrough, on the other hand, we regret that the cetaceans still in captivity will continue to have to perform in shows.  »

This text undoubtedly marks a new era in France and all over Europe for this much-maligned leisure industry. « Our associations thank
those who supported their fight, refusing the compromise of certain measures and wanting ethics and freedom for cetaceans. We think of
the orcas and dolphins who remain prisoners, even though this decree provides for many positive provisions, improving their conditions and the follow-up care they will receive. For them, we will still go to court and continue to work on rehabilitation solutions in
sanctuaries. But today we think especially of all those who will not
be born into captivity tomorrow.  »

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Dolphinarium decree: not passed as ‘discretely’ as intended

Dolphinarium decree: not passed as ‘discretely’ as intended
04.05.2017
Antibes
Dolphinarium decree: not passed as ‘discretely’ as intended
Exploitation for shows

Whilst France was preoccupied with the debate between the two presidential candidates, Ségolène Royal was signing the far from unanimous dolphinarium statute… A drama for the dolphins, and a total disregard to the outcome of the public consultation, which One Voice will not let pass.

Breaking news: An immense victory! The statute has just been published, we had demanded right up until the last minute that dolphin reproduction be banned, and this measure has been added! More than 16,000 people had protested on the Minister’s website against the original statute at our request. We were heard! 4,500 pages of comments opposed this draft statute, the result of the public consultation from February this year. Animal rights, as well as the environment, may be the gaping holes in the candidate’s programmes, but the French are no less committed.

The timing

As with any unpopular measure, the right moment had to be chosen to push through this statute. What better than a televised debate between the two candidates in the final round of the presidential election, keeping the whole of France busy. It was right at the beginning of that evening on the third of May, that it was announced by the Minister of the Environment that Madame Royal, several days before her departure, had signed the statute, an unexpected gift to the captivity industry. This is despite the expert’s opinions, despite the opinion of the French public, and despite the opinion of personalities such as Nicolas Hulot, who we must congratulate for his unambiguous tweet:
« Our civilisation should no longer tolerate dolphin captivity. It is time to finish with the #dolphinariums« 

Notre civilisation ne devrait plus tolérer la captivité des dauphins. Il est temps d’en finir avec les #delphinariums pic.twitter.com/DTiYsQdjEt

— Nicolas Hulot (@N_Hulot) 20 avril 2017

Smoke and mirrors

We could believe that this statute signifies an improvement for captive cetaceans. But who can consider that increasing the depth of the pools by 1 metre will change the dolphin’s daily lives? That to be obliged to ask the opinion of a commission for their reproduction (but not be obliged to act upon it) will limit this reproduction? These « measures » are ridiculous. On the 27^th of April, Marineland declared that its four orcas will be the last to be held in their pools, confirming that the ban on detaining orcas, like the other measures, had been taken with the backing of the captivity industry, curbing the pressure on the dolphinariums. It is pointless to demonstrate in front of their gates, the statute has been enacted and they now have 3 years to comply…

The only possible predicament is the definitive end to cetacean exploitation. The dolphins need only one thing: freedom. But the real change brought about by this statute is that it clearly authorises the creation of new dolphinariums, and by legitimising them, it assures the continuity of their activity. Even if the lack of popularity of these types of projects allows us to hope that this will not be the case, the fact remains that years of work will be again needed to discuss this text. We cannot let this industry continue. It is essential to support its evolution and to obtain the end of dolphin and orca exploitation.

We will have two months to launch an appeal to the State Council from the date of this statute’s publication. One Voice will not give up. You can support our action by signing and sharing our petition. 

Femke, a broken-hearted mother

Femke, a broken-hearted mother
27.04.2017
Oise Femke, a broken-hearted mother
Exploitation for shows

The tragedy continues in the dolphinarium… One Voice is sounding the alarm for Femke, broken by the industry who tore her away from her family and the ocean, and then took her son, Ekinox.

She could behave like other typical captive cetaceans: she could gnaw against the concrete pool sides, throw herself against the walls and attack other captive dolphins… But Femke, born free and captured off the Florida coast, is not there yet. After almost 40 years of captivity, she is totally adrift and seems to be dying of sadness. When she was filmed
last October, Femke stayed away from the other dolphins and had stopped participating in the presentations. She was fading away, isolated in her despair after her only reason to survive in these tiny, sad pools was torn away from her.

Arriving in Park Asterix in 2008, Femke gave birth to Ekinox, her only son – a blessed moment in her long life in captivity. She also survived a normally fatal serious illness. Today, she is unable to swim normally because of her poor deformed and scarred body.

In 2016, her child, who was still very young, was taken away from her to stock the Attica Park pools, a Greek zoo which is a member of the marine circuses network organised throughout Europe. Ekinox, released with the other males, who have also been separated at a young age from their mothers, will probably waste away there. But in the name of genetics, transfers must be encouraged…. So families are torn apart, individuals are crushed.

As for Femke, she seems to have given up already. The images filmed at the beginning of the « season » are distressing. What sort of a show has a limp dolphin present, meandering lethargically in its bowl whilst the others perform!

« Femke’s mental and physical state is extremely worrying and requires urgent specialist veterinary expertise », attests our veterinary consultant, Pierre Gallego, who observed her at length on the 19th of April. One Voice has referred this request to the prefect and doesn’t count on just doing that whilst Femke’s state deteriorates.

This tragedy affects all dolphinariums. Share the story of Femke and
Ekinox on your networks and sign our petition! Let’s stop this suffering…