This Major Country Just Banned All Killer Whale and Dolphin Breeding
France recently joined the list of nations that have outlawed the breeding of dolphins and killer whales in captivity. France is appreciative of progressive Environment Minister Segolene Royal for recently passing legislation that supports marine mammals in the country’s parks that use them for entertainment. With the exception of bottle-nose dolphins and orcas that are currently in captivity, this law also forbids the keeping of any porpoises, whales, or dolphins in captivity. Additionally, the law forbids the public from having any direct interaction with these wild animals, including petting and feeding them.
Following reports of whales and dolphins being drugged in parks, Environment Minister Royal first passed legislation last Wednesday that included “tight regulations on the reproduction of dolphins,” but subsequently decided to outlaw the breeding of these large marine mammals in captivity. After deciding on a “more radical” strategy to try to completely abolish the animals’ captivity, she signed a revision to the law on Saturday, according to her ministry.
“In plain terms, this means the end of breeding, exchange, and import programmes,” five conservation groups including One Voice and Sea Shepherd said in a joint statement. “Without possible replenishment, this quite simply means the scheduled end of marine circuses on our territory.”
The Joint Statement Can Be Found Here
Animal rights organizations and activists who have been fighting against what they call “marine circuses” are hailing this legislation as a “historic French advance.” While many are pleased with the new law’s outcome, not everyone will benefit from it, and those who will be impacted are generally unhappy with what this will mean for their parks.
The new law is a “bombshell” for his park and others like it, according to John Kershaw, the head of the Marineland Antibes dolphin show park in southern France, who spoke to the Van-Matin newspaper. “There was no warming received regarding the ministry’s intent to pass this law,” he said, adding that the parks will be rushing to make changes before the deadlines arrive.
Over the years, Marineland Antibes has been controversial for its practices; the most recent one killed tons of animals, including sea lions, sharks, turtles, and orcas, after a storm buried many tanks in the mud. Electricity, which is required to pump clean water into the tanks, was unavailable in the park during the storm. According to activists, the park failed to act quickly enough to fix the damage before all of the animals perished. Numerous claims have also been made that the park mistreats its animals, including the “world’s most famous walrus”… Former animal trainers who say they saw firsthand the negative impacts of captivity have on the orcas, leading to a lawsuit.
French marine parks have just six months to discontinue breeding programs and activities that involve direct interaction between the animals and visitors. In order to better accommodate the animals, they also have three years to enlarge their tanks.
“We all must remain vigilant and ensure the conditions of the decree are appropriately implemented,” Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist with the Animal Welfare Institute, told The Dodo, “but it is yet another sign of the positive change in society’s perceptions of these species in captivity!”
