"The captive industry insists that killer whales get the highest standard of care, and that the whales are safer in tanks than they would be in the ocean (where dangerous things like sharks lurk). Repeatedly we are told that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums are self-monitoring organizations that ensure that orcas are kept in standards that meet or accede government regulations – yet there were no backup measures in place at Marineland even though the park has been flooded and closed in the past."
Read more: http://blog.seattlepi.com/candacewhiting/2015/10/12/killer-whale-dies-following-the-muddy-disaster-at-marineland/ Code Animal in France have written a blog about Valentin's life and death. They have also released a video of Valentin displaying stereotypic behaviour at Marineland Antibes, recorded by the organisation when they visited the park on August of this year. You can read the blog (French) & watch the video here: http://www.code-animal.com/valentin-1996-2015/ The BBC have also released an article about Valentin's death and the horrific situation in France that still continues for the remaining orcas: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/34515872/french-water-park-marineland-criticised-after-killer-whale-dies
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Following last week's flooding that damaged 90% of its site, Marineland Antibes has today released the tragic news that one of its captive male orca known as Valentin has died. The post announced (translated using Google Translate) that: All Marineland teams are extremely sad to announce today, Monday, October 12 at 12pm, the death of Valentin, a killer whale born in the park. We experienced an extremely difficult and unprecedented situation last week and have made every effort to secure the infrastructure devastated by the weather. Trainers, experts and emergency services did everything to save the animals and secure facilities. We have at this time no explanation on the cause of death, we will do everything to understand. Analyses will be conducted by a team of veterinary experts. Valentin, who was born at Marineland Antibes on February 13th 1996, is the second orca to have died at the French entertainment facility this year. His mother Freya, a wild-caught Icelandic orca, died in June from a long, unidentified illness. She was in her early thirties. His wild-caught Icelandic father, Kim 2, died at Marineland Antibes in November 2005 at 23-24 years of age. Valentin was only 19 years-old. In the wild, male orca have an average life-expectancy of 29.2 years and can live as long as 50-60 years, (females have an average life-expectancy of 50.2 years and can live for more than 90 years). Male orca survival has also been linked with the survival of their mothers in some free-ranging populations. Valentin's dorsal fin was partially collapsed and would have likely fully collapsed in time. He was intermittently put on medication for safety during orca water work sessions (he was aggressive towards his trainers on several occasions), as well as to curb excessive sexual behaviours with his half sister and brother, Wikie and Inouk, as well as his own mother, Freya. Semen samples were also collected from Valentin as part of the facility's Artificial Insemination programme. Valentin displayed several stereotypic behaviours (abnormal, repetitive behaviours indicative of stress), including burping, chewing concrete and bumping his head against tank walls and gates. He also had a pronounced skin condition on his chin. Valentin leaves behind four captive-born Icelandic orca at Marineland Antibes. Inouk, Wikie and Wikie's two calves, Moana and Keijo, are still at risk of infection and other health problems as a result of the dirty water in their tanks caused by the flooding and the facility's notoriously ineffective water filtration system. Click on the image to enlarge - all photos © Orca Aware Former SeaWorld & Marineland Antibes trainer John Hargrove talks about his time working in France Read about the California Coastal Commission hearing outcome regarding the permit for SeaWorld's orca tank expansion project in this article by 'Death at SeaWorld' author, David Kirby:
http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/10/09/california-tells-seaworld-stop-breeding-orcas You can also read "Unanimous Coastal Commission Ruling Breathes Life into #Blackfish Bill AB2140" by Voice of the Orcas, a group formed by four former SeaWorld orca trainers: http://voiceoftheorcas.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/unanimous-coastal-commission-ruling.html Latest on the flooding at Marineland Antibes: former SeaWorld & Marineland Antibes orca trainer John Hargrove has written a letter to the park condemning the quality of the water at its orca stadium. In the letter, Hargrove says, "Incredibly, the horrific water quality at the killer whale stadium today is not much worse than when I was a trainer there, when the subpar filtration system was ill-equipped to handle the volume of water and bioload of, at that time, seven orcas."
Read more: http://www.economicvoice.com/former-seaworld-trainer-asks-marineland-to-free-orcas/ SeaWorld's response to the conditions placed on its Blue World Project application: “We are disappointed with the conditions that the California Coastal Commission placed on their approval of the Blue World Project and will carefully review and consider our options...Breeding is a natural, fundamental and important part of an animal’s life, and depriving a social animal of the right to reproduce is inhumane.”
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-seaworld-orcas-20151008-story.html Analysis On SeaWorld Orca Tank Expansion Permit Hearing Outcome By Orca Expert Dr. Naomi Rose9/10/2015 Dr. Naomi Rose's (From The Dolphin's Point of View) analysis of the SeaWorld Blue World Project hearing outcome:
"...the final vote of the Coastal Commission was yes to the permit to build Blue World, but with conditions. Those conditions are: no breeding, no transfers consistent with federal law (which means that the four whales at SeaWorld San Diego who are there under MMPA permits - Shouka who was imported from France, Ulises who was imported from Spain, Kasatka who was captured from the wild, and Corky who was transferred from Marineland when the MMPA required permits for transfers - could be transferred out of the state, but no whales can come in), and a cap on orcas to be held in the new facility of 15 (to accommodate any rescues that may need housing at SeaWorld San Diego)." Read more: https://www.facebook.com/dolphinspointofview/posts/1081260008585206 SeaWorld's Orca Tank Expansion Can Go Ahead - But Only If They Stop Breeding Their San Diego Orcas!9/10/2015 The California Coastal Commission has voted that SeaWorld's Blue World Project can go ahead, but with certain conditions: SeaWorld San Diego's captive orca population is capped at 15 individuals (the park currently has 11 orcas) and the Californian park may no longer breed or transfer its captive orcas to or from this site.
Read more: http://timesofsandiego.com/business/2015/10/08/seaworld-wins-bid-to-expand-killer-whale-tanks-but-breeding-is-barred/ The California Coastal Commission hearing on whether to grant SeaWorld the permit to push forward with its proposed orca tank expansions was streamed live today. Videos below show Dr. Ingrid Visser, Dr. Naomi Rose, Kim Ventre and former SeaWorld trainer John Hargrove address concerns about the project to the panel. An article about how whales and dolphins have been observed to mourn their dead:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/candace-calloway-whiting/adult-male-pilot-whale-ca_b_8238330.html Flash floods have filled the tanks at Marineland Antibes with mud. As well as many other animals, the park in France has five captive orcas.
Article (French): http://www.leparisien.fr/societe/videos-antibes-le-parc-de-marineland-devaste-par-les-inondations-04-10-2015-5153907.php You can also read more from this article by Orca Aware's Founding Manager, Sam Lipman: https://www.thedodo.com/orca-tanks-in-marineland-antibes-filled-with-mud-1388850257.html |
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