Good news for animal advocates out of Spain last month!  In February an announcement by Ione Belarra, Spain’s Minister for Social Rights, suggested that the animal welfare landscape may be about to undergo major changes in that country.   Part of the proposed revisions would entail the conversion of the Spain’s zoos and  aquariums (including its many dolphinariums) into recovery centres for native species.  These institutions would be banned from acquiring non-native species, either through purchasing them or by breeding existing stock.  The rationale would be to “allow children to get to know local wildlife and be raised with values supporting animal protection.”  Highly commendable, and we are impressed with this very forward-thinking stance adopted by the Spanish cabinet.

Predictably, the announcement has already met with fervent objections from the affected industries.  At present, we can’t be sure what the  immediate impact will be should the legislation successfully pass.  One thing we might expect, for example, is that existing captive animals would be ‘grandfathered’ in under the legislation, much as they were in Canada and France when those nations banned dolphin captivity.   That would mean that cetaceans and others currently captive would remain so, but upon their deaths they would not be replaced.  It also remains to be seen what standards would be applied should facilities wish to sell their animals abroad.  We’ll have to wait and see how things develop.  The next steps will be for the draft law to face public hearings, then a further reading in parliament prior to a final vote.

As Spain currently holds a large number of non-native cetaceans, this is great news, especially for the orcas and belugas not native to Spanish waters.  For individuals in dire need of legal protection, like Morgan pictured above, it’s hard to say whether the law would provide relief.  But it would certainly be good news for orcas who would otherwise potentially face captivity in the future.  It should also be noted that we’ll still need to have the conversation about cetacean captivity in general, since establishing nativity as a basis would be bad news for species that are near universal in their distribution in the world’s seas.  That would be true of bottlenose dolphins, for example.  Nevertheless, we welcome this proposed legislation as very good news! 

Why is this happening now?  Well, this is an example of how good things will eventually happen when people like many of you reading this post invest the time and energy to patiently and persistently advocate on behalf of these animals who can’t speak for themselves.  When we successfully raise public awareness and bring these matters to large numbers of people, the pushback sooner or later moves governments to act.  That is what’s happening here.  

In recognition of some of the people who were instrumental in this particular case, I’d like to introduce you to two awesome organizations in our movement – Marine Connection, and the Free Morgan Foundation.  This hopeful development owes much to their efforts over the years.

Marine Connection / marineconnection.org is a UK based group founded by Margaux Dodds and Liz Sandeman.  Both had been involved in the active campaigning which brought about the closure of captive dolphin facilities in that nation.  Over almost three decades ending in the 1990s, the UK had more than 30 dolphinariums.  Today there are none, and the UK is highly regarded in the anti-captivity world for the brilliant example it has set.  

These days, Marine Connection is an effective champion of whales and dolphins, and the issues that impact their wellbeing.  One of their current priorities is raising consumer awareness about fishing gear entanglement, undoubtedly  the single biggest direct threat to cetaceans today, in that so many tens of thousands lose their lives in this way each year.  Marine Connection works tirelessly to conduct investigations, public outreach and education, and to advocate for legislative change where it’s needed.  And, of course, they remain forceful advocates against dolphin captivity everywhere.

The Free Morgan Foundation / freemorgan.org is an organization that was founded to work for the release of one particular orca currently held at the Loro Parque facility in Spain’s Canary Islands.  Morgan’s case is a particularly egregious one, and the injustices she’s had inflicted on her are now going on a dozen years.  They assert, and I think entirely correctly, that the mismanagement of her rescue has resulted in tragic and long-term consequences for this unfortunate whale.  

Of course, the Foundation’s work is about all captive cetaceans, no matter where they are held.  As such, they collaborate with several other NGO’s and are members of a number of coalitions, all working towards the same goals.  A feature of captive facilities that we’ve seen a doubling down on by the industry in recent years is that of ‘rescues’.  As ticket sales continue to be threatened by growing public awareness of the cruelty and exploitation of captivity, aquariums turn to things like conservation, education, and rescues to justify its continuation.  Exposing the greenwashing that’s been going on is one area where I believe the Free Morgan Foundation has done an especially good job.     

Keeping a whale or dolphin in a tiny concrete tank, forcing him or her to perform for food amidst harsh sunlight and blaring music is, in the Foundation’s view “not a model for ‘rescue’.  Instead, if a genuine rescue is conducted, these mammals (including Morgan and her calf Ula), would be placed into a seaside sanctuary and cared for with dignity.”  Absolutely correct.  In a sanctuary, with a richer, more natural, and much more spacious environment, they can live in conditions that more closely resemble what they would experience in the wild.  In that setting, and entirely unlike the marine park experience, it’s the welfare of the cetaceans that comes first, not entertainment for humans.  Or shareholder value.  

Whether it turns out to be via mechanisms like Spain’s new proposed legislation, or whether it’s a matter of growing public sentiment eventually pushing marine parks  to do the right thing, we hope that one day whales like Morgan (Loro Parque),  Tokitae (Miami Seaquarium), Kiska (Marineland Canada), and so many others can one day get back a little bit of the lives that were stolen from them.

For The Orca’s Voice, 

Anna, Canadian Cetacean Alliance