News Archive - Page 137 of 144

Notre-Dame-des-Landes: The southwestern water vole’s little kingdom

Notre-Dame-des-Landes: The southwestern water vole’s little kingdom
26.06.2016
Notre Dame des Landes
Notre-Dame-des-Landes: The southwestern water vole’s little kingdom
Wildlife

The active and capable southwestern water vole trots happily along the marsh shores. This small furry round vole with bright eyes is a species is on the point of extinction. The construction of the Notre-Dame-Des-Landes airport could spell the end for its final territory.

What the south western water voles love above all is to swim in the turbid wetland waters, snack on the reeds, peck at the watercress or catch a dragonfly. They are very much at home in these calm waters hidden in the bushy lands, to which their bodies have evolved. They don’t want to be anywhere else.

Even more so than the farmers who are fighting valiantly against the airport, their rights should be respected so that this fatal project does not go ahead. There is talk of creating an artificial marsh to ‘compensate’ to 200% this natural habitat.

And then what? Catch all of the water voles with a net? And those who live alongside them, the rare Blasius newt (
Triturus x blasii), or the water shrew for example? Should they too be caught in a net to be moved to a faraway concrete pond? And the rushes? The flowers? The trees? The birds? The bats?

If this was a childhood tale, the little water vole would be furious. She would climb up onto a platform wearing her crusader colours and she would shout into a megaphone at the politicians: « I don’t want to be a refugee! Leave me to live in peace in my homeland! »

Of course, it’s only the tiny homeland of the southwestern water vole. But it’s their homeland and they love it. Why would we not take them into account?

This useless and destructive airport does not respect France’s commitments to the COP21, and equally, it undervalues the southwestern water vole, which is precious and non-replaceable. All over the world, the wetlands are being destroyed, and with them the rare flora and fauna that prosper there. As for the
Arvicola sapidus water vole, its population is considered « vulnerable » by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and « near threatened » in France. Although they have never caused any damage to crops, the southwestern water voles have been hunted, eaten, poisoned, destroyed or pushed out by construction work on the riverbank. The American minks who have escaped from their breeders have invaded their vital habitat and agricultural pesticides are on the point of killing them.

Change the paradigm before it is too late. Stop devastating this world that we share with others. The survival of the southwestern water vole is infinitely more important than this bad idea dating from 1963, when the idea of climatic change did not even exist in the human conscience.

The appalling shark massacre

The appalling shark massacre
22.06.2016
Perou
The appalling shark massacre
Wildlife

Exposing unimaginable violence, these images of shark fishing off the Peruvian coast are simply horrifying. One Voice had to act: in collaboration with its international partners, the campaign has been launched to put an end to this barbaric practice!

In Peruvian waters, sharks baited by dolphin meat are hauled onto the deck, where their noses are cut off and they are left to agonise in a corner. The pregnant mothers are gutted where their baby sharks are then trampled on. The images filmed by our partner Mundo Azul (Blue World) are disturbing but leave no doubt: this must stop!

Sharks aren’t the most popular of creatures, which is probably why this appalling practice continues. But because they engender fear, does this mean that they do not deserve respect? Because their reputation is as bad as it is unfounded, can we allow them to suffer without consequence for their aggressors? They don’t belong on the (illegal) menu in restaurants, nor on the market stalls. Their place is in the ocean, their home, where they play a fundamental role, impacting the balance of the entire planet…

These horrific images must lead to the end of these barbaric practices! One Voice is launching a campaign on behalf of the sharks. We have joined forces with Blue Voice, OceanCare and Mundo Azul to act locally with an information and awareness campaign for the Peruvians. In parallel, we are going to undertake spot checks in restaurants. Because it mustn’t be forgotten, sharks are protected species!

And because international opinion counts, One Voice has launched a petition in France which will be addressed to the Peruvian ambassador.

To support our work; to save the sharks in Peru, please sign and share the petition!

The educational alternative in the city of yulin

The educational alternative in the city of yulin
21.06.2016
The educational alternative in the city of yulin
Other campaign or multi-campaigns of One Voice

June 21st: Each year the barbarity of the dog meat festival strikes at our conscience. One Voice supports the struggle of local campaigners so that attitudes will finally change.

China, which accounts for 20% of the world’s population, is a huge machine engulfing natural resources, animal-products and biotopes to satisfy its needs. Here primary needs prevail and the consideration such as giving a little humanity to dogs still appears secondary. It should be remembered that, under Mao, the central party banned the possession of a pet animal, because it was considered as a by-product of a decadent bourgeoisie culture. And in a country where the Mandarin word for an animal simply means « moving object, » the domestic companion is far from being worthy of any protective legislation.

At the root of it all is evil

It is in this unfavourable context that ACTAsia, a Chinese association born ten years ago, works on many fronts to advance the animal cause. Since 2008 its investigations into Chinese Zoos and the dog meat trade has been supported by One Voice who is a partner of this association. An active financial support helps to educate Chinese fashion designers and consumers in anti-fur ethics, through which hundreds of Chinese veterinarians are being trained in animal welfare and to promote new practices.

With One Voice, ACTAsia has of course mobilized every year to express its anger, to protest officially, to attract the attention of the media about the organizational conditions of the Yulin festival. Some animals were saved from the massacre, alas they are soon replaced by others, and notable advances have been made by the local authorities. But this mentality is resilient to change, the declared hostility towards these humanitarian hindrances and the weight of the monetary interests at stake marked the limits of the eventual protest. Therefore, among the different possible paths in which to irrigate people’s consciences, one is digging deeper, longer, and strategically.

Schooling in empathy and respect

The idea at the heart of the battle undertaken by One Voice and ACTAsia is that education, especially among the younger ones, will sow the seeds of compassion for animals, humans and the environment. As early as 2006, an ambitious educational program called
Caring for Life was developed, with the conviction that in the long term learning how to care for an animal and protect the weak is the source for a more harmonious society.

In 2012 the pilot project Caring for Life was introduced with the blessing of the authorities into Chinese public schools. Developed by experts, it proposes ten or twelve teaching modules that are adapted into the framework of associations, community clubs and summer camps; it’s informal teaching methods are participatory and playful, which delights the students.

This project has been propagated through the training of educators who have stimulated the program:
Caring for Life is now followed in about 100 schools in the eight largest Chinese cities. In Dalian, with the approval of the school authorities, it reaches 20% of primary school pupils in 21 different schools.

An auspicious success

In three years, Caring for Life has trained more than 800 educators and sensitized 35,000 children aged between 5 and 8 years old to have respect for life, whatever it may be. The program is also deployed in the most rural areas of the country where the cause for animals and the very perception of the concept of « feelings » are crushed by very harsh economic and social conditions.

Everywhere, the learning delivered through Caring for Life has brought out notable benefits among children: a sense of valorisation, an improvement in classroom behaviour and social relationships, a reduction in aggression and stress. These are all key elements to prevent a behavioural drift in disadvantaged areas, and certainly the seeds have been sown for a different future, where the Yulin festival will no longer be tolerated by the collective conscience.

Supporting the action in the field

The fight is long-term; it spreads certainly through petitions and is relayed by the Chinese authorities. By supporting One Voice financially, you will also be able to equip, train and motivate a new educator to spread the message of humanity in future Chinese classrooms by the simple sum of 10 euros.

Photo caption: In Guizhou, Isobel Zhang, national director of ACTAsia, presents the Caring for Life program in schools. Hope is on the move …

Dogs in China: what happens when there is no animal protection law…

Dogs in China: what happens when there is no animal protection law…
20.06.2016
Chine
Dogs in China: what happens when there is no animal protection law…
Other campaign or multi-campaigns of One Voice

In 2008, One Voice conducted a survey in China on the dog meat industry. The way they live is a nightmare.

A high-risk survey

China was preparing for the 2008 Olympics when One Voice investigators began their investigation. They had managed to infiltrate the network of the dog meat producers. At the risk of being arrested – or worse – if their true identity was discovered, they managed to gain the confidence of their guides and were able to film some particularly violent scenes. While the country was cleaning up Beijing and closing the restaurants selling dog meat, the investigators had uncovered a sinister reality.

The horrors and the suffering

The conclusion of their investigation is without appeal: in China dogs are not « only » eaten, they are mistreated beyond all comprehension and put to death through unbelievable cruelty. Crammed into cages while they are still alive, deprived of water and food for days, they are sometimes fed with the flesh of other dogs to enhance the taste of their meat … Among them, dogs with necklaces, probably abandoned by their owners, others come from specialized farms. In their eyes can be seen the sheer terror of their situation.

Extremely violent killings

Our investigators witnessed industrial killings, within the « production factories » but also on the sidewalk, in front of the specialty restaurants: live dogs wait at the entrance and are killed in public. There is no less violence here. Before they are immersed in boiling water the dogs are beaten, knocked out with a club then disembowelled. They do not die straight away. In an atmosphere of growing panic they suffer for a long time under the gaze of their fellow captive companions.

For China to change

Faced with so much violence, more and more Chinese people are becoming indignant and are joining animal protection associations. The consumption of dog meat is decreasing but it is not enough. To help them obtain animal welfare laws in their country One Voice has launched a petition to the Chinese president: You can download and sign the petition on this website. The more we are, the stronger our voice will be!

Support the One Voice campaign and please sign our petition to demand animal protection legislation in China.

Dog and cat abattoirs in France

Dog and cat abattoirs in France
17.06.2016
France
Dog and cat abattoirs in France
Domestic animals

Tens of thousands of dogs and hundreds of thousands of cats are killed there. Their bodies end up in the knackery. No longer required after an often short life, they are abandoned and thrown away…

Euthanasia. We are not talking about putting down an animal out of love to relieve pain. We are talking about euthanasia being performed for commercial reasons, or being performed reluctantly when no alternative is available due to ignorance, a lack of awareness or a ‘consumer’ attitude. This is unacceptable! It is undergone on a large scale, in unimaginable proportions. Every year, tens of thousands of dogs and hundreds of thousands of cats are forgotten, thrown away and put down following irresponsible breeding, or because they are no longer useful, they get in the way, or they are traumatised from bad practices which makes living with them impossible, or even because they don’t live up to our expectations…

This ‘complaisance’ massacre is staged in veterinary surgeries. Overwhelmed refuges are resigned to this sacrifice because they have no other choice, and the commercial pounds that have already made their money from the victims play a strong part…

In certain refuges there are weekly ‘slaughter days’, and more frequently for the pounds. The killing takes place on a production line, with corpses taken away by utility vehicles, filling big freezers… Imagine the cat kennels; the floor covered in bodies, cats killed one after the other by intra-cardial injection (a highly technical act used for efficiency to avoid the expensive preliminary anaesthetic). There is also home ‘euthanasia,’ avoiding expensive fees. This is mass killing, no less.

However, there are simple solutions which can be put in place to protect animals from this cruel practice.

These abandonments are often the result of big misunderstandings which make living together impossible and sometimes result in serious traumas. This has been brought to light in
our investigation into canine clubs. For a harmonious life with our animal companions, One Voice has launched the ‘Companionship’ campaign, which has already hosted successful conferences on cats and dogs in the last two years!

But what also fills up the refuges is the overpopulation caused by random and irresponsible repeated breeding… In making sterilisation obligatory, we can avoid mass euthanasia and the unlawful commerce which goes in parallel with it. Our companions are not consumables!

Please help us correctly protect our dogs and cats, sign and share the petition:
« Dogs and cats: our family ».

Those who are anti-wolves ban a conference: are they afraid of the truth?

Those who are anti-wolves ban a conference: are they afraid of the truth?
15.06.2016
Nyons
Those who are anti-wolves ban a conference: are they afraid of the truth ?
Wildlife

They are afraid of the wolf, afraid of everything. But not ridicule! A conference on the biology of wolves that was to take place Wednesday, 15 June in Nyons (26) has been cancelled under the pressure from farmers. After the ban last May, behind the fluffy toy representing a wolf, the anti-wolf farmers continue to impose their unpopular decree.

Entitled « Wolves, the biology of a myth », the long-awaited conference at CFPPA (1) in Nyons had to be cancelled by this public establishment, under the pressure of a small group of farmers and the sub Prefect invoking the threat of disturbing public order. However, this conference proposed by the SFEPM (2) has already been welcomed without problem in several places in the south-east of France since the beginning of the year, especially in agricultural colleges at the request of teachers or students. They present in a dispassionate way the scientific knowledge available about wolves, in order to attempt to inform the students and the public on what is a very complex subject.

On 27-28 May, the organizers of the Giro (cycling tour of Italy) had withdrawn their mascot during the passage of the race in France, under the pressure from local elected officials and the prefecture of the Hautes-Alpes obeying the injunctions of farmers who threatened to block the race. The unique cause: the mascot represented was a wolf. Once again, local officials are the accomplices to a handful of farmers who dictate their desire to eliminate wolves right up to the stuffed animals of their effigy and up to the scientific information on this species.

Farmers live on public subsidies and must know that 80% of the French want to protect wolves (3). Will the citizens who help pay the famers with their taxes endure for a long time that an obscurantist minority thus imposes its law? The conference of the SFEPM (2) will be given in other places including in Drôme, to promote the sharing of knowledge and to exchange with the public, particularly with farmers who are
open to information and dialogue. Next conference scheduled: this Tuesday, June 14 at 20h, at the House of Geology Puy-Saint-André (Hautes-Alpes).

Associations
CAP Loup (Wolf)

(1)
CFPPA: Centre for Professional Training and Agricultural Promotion

(2)
SFEPM: French Society for the Study and Protection of Mammals

(3)
IFOP ASPAS / One Voice survey, September 2013

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Farms for dolphins in France?

Farms for dolphins in France?
13.06.2016
France
Farms for dolphins in France?
Exploitation for shows

A law is soon to be discretely passed. This law will authorise the opening of dolphinariums on the pretence of an advance in legislation! This law will lead to the number of dolphins suffering in captivity multiplying… We must do something!

Cetaceans suffer and die in captivity. In France alone, the orca Valentin died only a few months after his mother’s death, followed by the young dolphin Alize. And today, the cases of Galeo and Lucille are attracting concern. How long can they hang on for? Despite cases like these, dolphinarium projects keep hatching, as is the case in Amneville and recently, in Beauval, where the project was abandoned following a pressure campaign lasting several months.

To authorise, as this law proposes, the dolphinariums to multiply, is to make France a nation of dolphin farmers, not only going against morality, but a regression from the planetary wake-up call much influenced by the
Blackfish effect: the place for cetaceans is in the ocean. No cetacean should undergo the imprisonment, isolation and craziness that these institutions cause.

For One Voice, this decision is unacceptable. It has sent its comprehensive case to the Minister of Ecology to stop this immoral project. The measure’s ban on keeping orcas and dolphins who are not normally detained would mean that dolphins born in captivity are excluded from this protection… The law therefore authorises the breeding of dolphins. We can draw close comparisons to battery farming in these tiny concrete chlorinated pools.

At no point does the law take into account the physiology or the psychology of dolphins who are not compatible with captivity. Whether they are born in captivity or not doesn’t change anything! And as for the orcas, there is nothing sufficiently precise in the decree to endorse their progressive departure from the aquatic parks, as the ban on keeping them suggests. Furthermore, the 6 month waiting time before entry in force of the legislation raises concerns that the aquariums will rush to fill themselves, and will then have … 10 years (!) to conform to the new legislation. It’s enough to make you mad and then die of it.

Empty the dolphinariums ! Don’t endorse the filling of these pools. Cetaceans are not merchandise: they are
sentient beings.

Sign and share our petition to
save Galeo and to close the dolphinariums!

It’s urgent for Galeo

It’s urgent for Galeo
09.06.2016
Port Saint Père
It’s urgent for Galeo
Exploitation for shows

A damning report by Dr Ingrid Visser, instigated by One Voice, has revealed the shocking situation of the dolphins at Planet Sauvage (Wild Planet), France, and the worrying case of Galeo. One Voice has lodged a complaint on his behalf. We must save him!

What has happened to Galeo?

When young Galeo left Asterix Park in January 2015, leaving his mother and his early childhood friends behind, his skin was still untouched. Today it is riddled with rake marks caused by other dolphins scraping the skin with their teeth, cuts, open wounds and vicious bite-marks from his tailfin to his nose. The mix of old and new scars show that he has been suffering for some time. Of course in the wild there are fights over females, but you don’t see scars on this scale, as we do on the young Galeo. Constantly harassed, his poor body is getting more damaged every day.

Galeo has also lost a lot of weight. There is a depression at the back of his head (the ‘peanut head’ characteristic) which often indicates a nutritional problem in cetaceans. His body is also covered by little black marks and dolphin pox lesions, an infection mostly brought on by stress.

Born in the show pool

Galeo’s mother Bailly went into labour at the end of a show in August 2009, which was stopped so that she could give birth. As there were no appropriately isolated pools, shows were suspended over several weeks to allow Bailly to look after her child without being bothered by her companions’ acrobatics. There was much excitement surrounding this newborn, and until the age of two, his premature training was recorded with photos and constant updates on the Park Asterix website.

Torn away from his family at the age of 4

When he arrived at Port-Saint-Père with Aicko, Galeo suddenly lost the support of his mother. He found himself alone, a young immature male, and confronted by ‘scarface’ Peos, the tough guy of the park, ten years older than Galeo. Also born at Park Asterix, Peos had dislocated his jaw in a fight there over some females. Below Peos in the hierarchy were also the young Ocean, just arrived from Bruges, and three females from Holland; Parel, Amtan and poor
Lucille, freshly deported. From the moment he arrived, Galeo was the group’s whipping boy.

According to Dr Visser’s report, the other dolphins’ situation is not much better

The dolphins display stereotypical displacement behaviour, patterns of comportment repeated incessantly by captive animals. Through the viewing windows we can hear the hullabaloo of noise and snapping jaws, indicating continual conflict and tension in the group. Seven of them share the big show pool with no toys or objects, the pool floor littered by deposits demonstrating defective filtration systems. Three small lateral pools allow the dolphins to be isolated but there is no shelter from the sun or from people. They are constantly observed through the viewing windows.

The report by Dr Ingrid Visser is damning

But it confirms concerns which could have been raised in 2008 and were subject to a ‘study’ when authorisation for the park was requested: What happens when we re-group several young dolphins that are born in different parks and removed early from their original families?

The reply is clear; we end up with an unusually brutal captive society, a bit like in the ‘Lord of the Flies,’ institutional violence which is also present amongst the Loro Park Orcas in Tenerife (read the article about Morgan). It is not surprising that in this stressful environment, Lucille cracked in front of Parel, killing her youngster. If all captive societies are essentially human creations, Planet Savauge is a prime example of ‘failed social organisation,’ with all of the dramatic consequences that we could expect.

Confronted with Galeo’s urgent situation, One Voice filed a complaint on the 4^th of June and is currently preparing a new case for the prosecutor. We need to get him removed before it is too late. Each day could be his last! There is still time… Sign and share the petition!

The dolphins:

Lucille, born at SeaWorld on the 16th of April 1989 (to Ralph and Louise), transferred to Harderwijk on the 9th of June 1997 then to Planet Sauvage on the 7th of April 2015 leaving her two children behind.
Peos, born on the 23rd of June 1999 at Park Asterix (to Amaya and Pichi). Transferred on the 1^st of October 2007 to the Harderwijk dolphinarium. Returned to Park Asterix the 17^th of April 2008. Transferred to Planet Sauvage in December 2008.
Amtan, born on the 13th of May 2001 at Harderwijk dolphinarium (to Molly and Moby Dick). Transferred in October 2008 to Planet Sauvage.
Ocean, born on the 13th of August 2003 at Boudewijn Sea Park (to Roxanne and Tex). Brought to Planet Sauvage in April 2014.
Parel, born on the 8th of June 2008 at the Harderwijk dolphinarium (to Roxy and Prince). Transferred on the 29^th of March 2012 to Planet Sauvage.
Galeo, born on the 10th of August 2009 at Park Asterix (to Baily and Guama). Brought to Planet Sauvage in January 2015.
Aicko, born on the 14th of August 2010 at Park Asterix (to Aya and Guama). Brought to Planet Sauvage in January 2015.

Coming soon… an elephant sanctuary in Europe!

Coming soon… an elephant sanctuary in Europe!
08.06.2016
Europe
Coming soon… an elephant sanctuary in Europe!
Wildlife

The elephants will soon have their European sanctuary, in France! Thanks to the partnership and support of One Voice, the Elephant Haven refuge is taking the big step, opening its doors to the first elephants in the beginning of 2017…

One Voice was entrusted with Vicky in 2006, rescued from a circus, and they transferred her into a Polish zoo that takes in animals in need. But the pachyderm problem is ongoing. Rescue them, yes, but where can they be homed? In 2013, the same dilemma arose with Samba, a circus fugitive who had killed a man whilst running away. At that point in time, Elephant Haven was unable to help.

One Voice’s president, Muriel Arnal says, « There is an increasing citizen uprising against circuses with wild animals. The local authorities have taken this on board and a growing number of municipalities are refusing them. It is the right time to organise this type of sanctuary, already in place in the United States, and also in India created by One Voice with Wildlife SOS. Sofie and Tony have turned the dream into reality here with this project. We are really excited to see the first elephant reach the sanctuary! »

Tony? Tony Verhulst. With fifteen years of full time experience looking after elephants at the zoo d’Anvers from 1993, the Elephant Haven idea was born thanks to his passion and his knowledge. Sofie Goetghebeur worked at Anvers Zoo at the same time as Tony, and, like Tony, she was deeply affected by the state of certain captive elephants that she came across during her career. The solution was clear to them: open the first elephant sanctuary in Europe.

Elephant Haven will be constructed at Bussière-Galant, in the Haute-Vienne region, 400km south of Paris

On gently rolling hills, the haven comprises of 28 hectares of agricultural land, which will expand even more in the future. The Haven’s ambition is to offer a safe haven to elderly elephants, tired from a life in the circus or isolated in a forgotten zoo. They will be able to discover a calm and sociable existence until the end of their days on this undulating property scattered with small woods. The elephants of course will be unrestricted, free to roam without chains or training. The public will be invited to view them, but only at a distance, with no contact allowed. There is no reproduction programme in mind, the aim being to accommodate as many elephants as possible without creating a zoo.

Upon the announcement of the One Voice partnership, Tony exclaimed on the social networks, « We are happy to announce that, thanks to One Voice, we have taken a big leap towards creating an elephant refuge in Europe! We and the elephants thank you from the bottom of our hearts! »

As for Sofie, she had this to say, « Very happy about the partnership with One Voice! We can do so much working together… And together, we will see the first elephants arrive at the beginning of next year! »

Thanks to the One Voice partnership with Elephant Haven, we hope that, soon,
Samba will walk side by side with Betty or Syndha in the Limousin plains, shaking their ears in happiness…

Dory: a message of freedom or the beginnings of a massacre?

Dory: a message of freedom or the beginnings of a massacre?
07.06.2016
Afrique
Dory: a message of freedom or the beginnings of a massacre?
Wildlife

Millions of children are waiting with impatience for the release of the film, “Finding Dory”, on the 17th of June 2016. But this global curiosity could be a death wish for its eponymous heroine, Dory, the blue tang fish. One Voice is sounding the alarm for this beautiful creature.

In the sequel to « Finding Nemo », which featured the clownfish Marlin and Nemo, it’s their forgetful friend Dory’s turn to hold title role.

The scenario has remained secret until now, but the films trailer gives us a glimpse, showing belugas and sharks languishing in pools resembling those of SeaWorld, an octopus trying to escape relentlessly, and tropical fish screaming in terror when a hand descends to seize them at the bottom of their aquarium. The Pixar screenwriters freely admit that they were affected by the Blackfish documentary. Ellen DeGeneres, the voice for Dory, has also made it known that a message for freedom is at the heart of the film. « I think that fish should be in the ocean », she maintained.

But One Voice is rightly worried about the impact of the wave of popularity for the « blue tang » or « blue surgeonfish », already being named ‘Dory’ by aquarium lovers. We know that the success of the animated film, « Finding Nemo », was sadly responsible for the deaths of thousands of clownfish. In effect, running a saltwater aquarium is complicated and beyond the capabilities of a lot of people. In Europe and in the United States, this craze has gone viral, with the rush to have the biggest squid or shark in the sitting room…

The blue surgeonfish can become quite large, requiring a bigger and more expensive aquarium, which is rarely provided. For this reason, few of these fish reach adult age in captivity and all of them die without producing offspring. Like with many other tropical fish, the blue tang is incapable of reproducing in an artificial environment. In France, some sellers will try to make you believe the contrary, but it is not true. This intelligent fish needs a marine environment to socialise and to reproduce its complex rituals.

In the world aquarium market, most saltwater fish are caught in their natural habitat, often illegally, and always in very cruel circumstances. The traffickers spray sodium cyanide on the coral and then collect the temporarily paralysed fish. Some of them suffocate and drown, lots die later. The cyanide also damages the coral, with one square metre of reef destroyed for each living fish taken in this way! The losses are significant but the profits are fabulous… After having crossed the globe by plane in highly oxygenated water, the survivors find themselves stuck in an aquarium, surrounded by fake stones and filter pumps. The blue palette surgeonfish’s home is the coral reefs bubbling with life, sensations and adventures in the warm waters stretching from Eastern Africa to Micronesia. Not this life of infernal boredom locked in a jar, going endlessly round in circles under the blue beam of the aquarium lights…

One Voice is delighted with the strong anti-captivity message of this film, but urges parents to explain to their children that these wonderful creatures belong in the ocean. And we plead with all adults to give up aquarium fish! Fish are also sensitive and conscious beings who suffer equally from having their freedom taken away from them as any other captive human or non-human animal…