Dolfinarium Bruges may continue to exist
Boudewijn Seapark must build a new outdoor basin by 2027, and there may also be a minimum of six dolphins. The intention is to evaluate every ten years from 2037. The first evaluation for the Boudewijn Park is therefore in 2037.
‘No alternative’
In 2019, minister Ben Weyts announced an extinction policy for the dolphinarium, after a lot of protest from animal rights organizations. But according to the minister, there is currently no solution for alternative accommodation.
“The decision of Minister Weyts takes into account both the animal welfare of the dolphins and a realistic scenario for the dolphinarium. This also gives Boudewijnpark the necessary time to think and invest in the future of their park. In Flanders, we actually want no more dolphins in captivity. They are hyper-intelligent and very sensitive animals. In the wild they need a huge habitat. But it is also the case that there is currently no alternative housing for these animals. It is good that there are now is a clear future scenario, in the first place for the dolphins, but also for the park and the local residents in Sint-Michiels”, says Flemish Representative and party leader for N-VA Bruges Maaike De Vreese.
Response Gaia
Animal rights organization Gaia is satisfied with the new Flemish Animal Welfare Codex. But continues to fight against dolphins in captivity: “If it appears much earlier that a dolphin sanctuary, where the marine mammals can spend the rest of their lives in a bay, is sufficient as an alternative destination, I do not see why the Bruges dolphins could not be transferred immediately. become,” said Michel Vandenbosch, president of Gaia.