Author: Margaux Dodds

Since the book was first published in 2012, David Kirby’s groundbreaking investigative thriller Death at SeaWorld has become a must-read for those interested in the debate surrounding the keeping of killer whales in captivity and specifically, the dedicated fight against the giants of the cetacean public display industry, SeaWorld.

Now due to be made into 10 part tv series by Fremantle this will be a fictionalised adaptation of the true story behind the book. Production is scheduled to begin in late 2021 and promises, like Blackfish, to be a very thought-provoking piece, further exposing the dangers to both animal and human, when confining large, ocean-going predators such as killer whales to tanks for entertainment.

Read the Freemantle release here

Following our earlier report on 12 August, DFE is delighted to share the news today that Little White and Little Grey, two belugas brought to Iceland from Shanghai last year for the SEA LIFE TRUST Beluga Whale Sanctuary, are exploring the wider Klettsvik Bay, where the sanctuary is located, for the first time. The sanctuary has been created in partnership with DFE member Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC).

Cathy Williamson, WDC’s End Captivity programme lead said; ‘We’re delighted that Little Grey and Little White are now exploring the wider bay and adapting well to their new, natural, stimulating environment. As well as providing a home for Little Grey and Little White, we look forward to welcoming other belugas to the sanctuary and encouraging the development of sanctuaries in other parts of the world.”

Little Grey and Little White’s amazing journey back to the ocean will be told as part of a new two-part feature-length documentary to be shown on ITV this October over consecutive nights, showing the complexities and dedication around the world-first project with comedian and animal lover John Bishop an integral part of the two-year mission.

More details and video footage here

Dolphinaria-Free Europe is supporting plans being put forward by the Government in Brussels to introduce a ban on the keeping of cetaceans in captivity.

Brussels Minister for Animal Welfare, Bernard Clerfayt has proposed the bill, supported by Victoria Austraet, an independent member of Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region.

The bill is currently in the draft phase and will now be presented to the socioeconomic council and to the Council of State for advice. When this has been done the draft bill can be presented to parliament to vote upon and if successful, this would mean that the keeping of dolphins or whales as attractions for public display would no longer be allowed.

Two beluga whales, Little White and Little Grey, have been transferred to a sanctuary site in Klettsvik Bay, Iceland, following their arrival in the country last year from an aquarium in Shanghai.  The SEA LIFE TRUST Beluga Whale Sanctuary has been established in partnership with DFE member Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

Full report here

Further to our recent report that the dolphins from Barcelona Zoo had been moved to Attica Park in Greece, it has come to our attention that the female bottlenose dolphin known as Veera has been moved by Attica to Oltremare, Italy.

Veera, along with three male dolphins, Eevertti, Leevi, and wild-caught Delfi (the latter died soon after transfer in January 2017), were moved to Attica in 2016 from Tampereen Särkänniemi in Finland who announced they would close their dolphinarium in October 2015. This latest move means that she has now been separated from her son, Eeveretti, born in 1996 whom Attica has retained.

In 2018 Barcelona city pledged it would be free of captive cetaceans, this decision was the result of a two-year campaign.  Over that period, discussions took place on whether the dolphin facility at the city’s zoo would be expanded or an alternative found for the dolphins held there.  In 2016 two of the dolphins were moved to L’Oceanografic, Valencia, and since that time plans for the future of the remaining three dolphins were discussed, however more recently authorities in Barcelona favoured them being sent to Attica Zoological Park in Greece.

Dolphinaria-Free Europe opposed this plan because Greek law states no animal should be used for performance yet despite this ruling and although their license was suspended earlier this year, the authorities have surprisingly overturned this suspension and issued Attica with a new license, on the proviso that the dolphins are not used for shows/feeding sessions but are allowed to be on display.

The dolphins from Barcelona Zoo have now been transferred to Attica Park,  officials say this was due to the fact that the park could offer the dolphins more adequate conditions. Previously Greece CITES rejected the request to transfer the dolphins, therefore the fact that this has now been authorised to take place is extremely disappointing.

Dolphinaria-Free Europe is now addressing the conditions behind this turn around with the license that allowed the transfer to take place and the future for the dolphins at Attica Park.