Suppose you have a dolphinarium. Filled with marine mammals grew up in captivity, unable to survive in the wild. The park, subject to fierce social discussion about animal welfare, must close.
Where do you leave the animals?
Marineland, located at the French Côte d’Azur, is currently confronted with that question. It was once the largest dolphinarium in Europe, but closed its doors at the beginning of this year. After prolonged and fierce protest against the park, a ban on shows with cetaceans in France from next year. In Marineland they let Orkas jump synchronously out of the water, sometimes landing on their backs – for the biggest splash.
Now that that is no longer possible, Marineland thinks he can no longer be profitable. All employees will be fired next week. But with closing the doors, the problem has not been solved for the animals: there are two orcas and twelve dolphins in the park and it is unclear where they are going.
In the meantime, the question sounds whether there is a future for dolphinaria louder and louder. The answer depends on who you ask the question, as usually with issues about wild animals in captivity. Arguments, whether or not scientifically substantiated arguments, a heated discussion is conducted about dolphins, orcas, sea lions and walruses.
What are the options for dolphinaria? Make fewer shows, more education, no public and therefore no more income, an alternative care, setting out the animals, close?
Does it have to change?
How does Dolfinarium Harderwijk, the only marine mammal park in the Netherlands, actually look at his future? This open question came from an unexpected corner last week. No animal rights organization, not the Party for the Animals, but The VVD wondered Whether dolphins still have to be kept in captivity. “Must changes, and how then?” Asked VVD MP Thom Van Campen.
Dolphins in captivity *
The questions followed on the penalty payment that State Secretary Jean Rummenie (agriculture, fishing, food security and nature, BBB) imposed the zoo early last week Based on twenty violations. Because the marine mammals on images, supplied by animal welfare organization Bite Back, had to show “unnatural behavior” during the performance, “without an educational purpose.” For example, walrus caregivers sprayed wet, dolphins had to put their nose in the neck of their trainer as a hug and wave the sea lions. Unnatural and purely for the entertainment of the public, Rummenie judged. The Dolfinarium has announced that it has since adjusted the shows.
The “broader social discussion about the future of dolphins in human care,” Dolphinarium director Alex Tiebot does not obtain. He does not shy away from it, he says in a written response. “On the contrary.” He sees a future for the Dolfinarium, at least in the Netherlands. “Not as a traditional show park, such as thirty years ago, but as a modern knowledge center where education, animal welfare and wonder go hand in hand.”
Despite the tap on the fingers of the Dolfinarium, the current cabinet is of the opinion that zoos have an important social task, “said the spokesperson for the Ministry of LVVN. “In the field of animal welfare, education and conservation. Also in the future.” However, the State Secretary “will start an investigation into a possible ban on public interactions in zoos. It is expected that the investigation will be completed early next year.”
‘Used as clowns’
Out Research by Ipsos In 2021 it appears that 42 percent of the Dutch think “that no more dolphins should be held in dolphinaria in the Netherlands in the future”. That is exactly where Raymond Olivers as coordinator Dolfinarium -Vrij Nederland, a Bite Back campaign, for deployment.
Bite Back filmed the animal shows and handed the images to the National Agency for Enterprising Netherlands (RVO), which carries out the control of zoos for the ministry, followed by the penalty of Rummenie. “Marine mammals are used as clowns,” he says. “As a revenue model for the visitors. It is heartbreaking.”
In addition, the basins are by definition too small. “It is often about the dolphins, but that is also the case with the sea lions.” On the site From Dolfinarium -free state: “Even in the largest dolphinaria in the world, the animals are kept in less than 0.000001 percent of their natural living space.”
Orcas in captivity *
But according to Dolfinarium director Tiebot, it is a “common misunderstanding that more space automatically means better animal welfare”. It is ‘a multifactorial concept’, in which ‘cognitive stimulation, social interaction, daily variation and dedicated care’ are at least as important as the space that animals have. In addition, “majority of animals in the Dolfinarium was born and cannot return to nature. Our priority is to provide them with the best possible care.”
The fact that Olivers is before closing does not mean that he is for deportation. “Of course, the animals for which that is possible, but it would be nice if the rest could go to specialized care.” He refers to the ‘sanctuary at sea ‘; Large designed reserves where the animals are cared for, but where there is no access to the public. “They are realizing this in Greece and France and in Canada and Iceland these are already in operation. These alternatives must be taken seriously.”
Tiebot also sees that “a lot is being spoken about reserves as an alternative”. They are more spacious, yes. But it is still about a small part of the natural habitat. ” But “more important,” he says, “there are fundamental uncertainties about long -term care.” He mentions health monitoring, protection against environmental factors and the ‘challenges’ of an open sea reserve.
An elegant solution
The discussion about dolphinaria are clearly philosophical sides, says anthropologist Jet Bakels, who is researching the relationship between humans and animals, and the way in which humans try to protect the animal. “In what kind of world do you want life? And what kind of life do you want to give animals in it?” The pity is, she thinks, that philosophical issues are often answered from a gut feeling.
She also hears and sees “that in terms of dolphinaria” animal welfare is a problem. “A big problem.” But just say that they should be closed? “That doesn’t work.”
Walruses in captivity *
Even if animals are slowly learned to save themselves, as tried at Keikothe orca known from the film Free Willy (1993), often does not work out well. For years, Keiko has been trained in a bay in Iceland to be able to live outside again, instead of in a small basin. He was also taken into the sea to get in touch with orcas – but he remained focused on people.
The option as suggested by Dolfinarium -Vrij Nederland, a wider shelter, “out of the picture”, could work, he writes. And then “hope that they will not reproduce further” and “they take good care of them, until the last age of aged”.
Bakels says must be considered an elegant solution. “Not only one in which man has a good feeling about themselves, and can sometimes be at the expense of animal welfare.”
For two of the orcas of Marineland, Wikie and Keijo, and a couple of dolphins, an export permit has been requested to Loro Parque on Tenerife. The park where fifteen years ago also moved the ‘Dutch’ Orka Morgan. She was taken out of the North Sea and strengthened strength in Harderwijk. Her move to Tenerife, which was accompanied by great social indignation because it meant that she would stay in captivity, “took place under the condition that she would not do tricks and not be bred with her,” says Hester Bartels, from the Free Morgan Foundation.
Kees Camphuysen, researcher at NIOZ, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Research of the Sea, on the other hand, calls social cohesion “essential” to survive in the sea. Sea mammal without exposing that coherence is “the same as a toddler sending in the forest with the encouragement: go looking for your mother and you will find something to eat on the way. Chance.”
Early this month She gave birth to a calf. It was her fourth pregnancy. Her calf UA died in 2021 at the age of two, earlier pregnancies ended in a quiet birth.
Contraception for dolphins
Bartel’s fears that if the orcas from France go to Tenerife, she is waiting for the same fate. “Loro Parque has indicated that he is not against breeding, because it is natural behavior.” The fact that there are a bath further dolphins that are on contraception confirms her fear that the orcas will be infused for the money. “So that they can be sold to China, where they do have to do tricks.”
On Tuesday, April 15, all Marineland carers will be fired. Friday morning it became clear The move from Wikie and Keijo to Loro Parque does not take place. A Spanish scientific research agency has found the park unsuitable. Marineland must continue to take care of the animals until another accommodation has been found before them.