Introduction to EU Dolphinaria - Daniel Turner

Seeking a
Dolphinaria- Free Europe
EU Dolphinaria
• There are 34 captive facilities keeping an estimated total of 307 individual cetaceans in
15 EU Member States in the EU.
EU Dolphinaria
Boudewijn Seapark Belgium
Festa Dolphinarium Bulgaria
Fjord and Baelt Center Denmark
Särkänniemi Adventure Park Finland
Marineland France
Parc Astérix France
Planète Sauvage France
Zoo Duisburg Germany
Tiergarten Nürnberg Germany
Attica Zoological Park Greece
Oltremare Italy
Zoosafari e Fasanolandia Italy
Delfinario Rimini Italy
Acquario di Genova Italy
Zoomarine Roma Italy
Lithuanian Sea Museum Lithuania
Mediterraneo Marine Park Malta
Dolfinarium Harderwijk Netherlands
Ecomare Netherlands
Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa Portugal
Zoomarine Algarve Portugal
MarineLand Catalunya Spain
Marineland Mallorca Spain
Aqualand Costa Adeje Canary Islands (Spain)
Zoo Aquarium de Madrid Spain
Aquapolis Spain
Oceanografic Spain
Selwo Marina Spain
Loro Parque Canary Islands (Spain)
Zoo Barcelona Spain
Mundomar Spain
Palmitos Park Canary Islands (Spain)
Kolmarden Sweden
Delfinariu Constanţa Romania
Number of captive dolphin facilities
Number of dolphinaria in EU Member States
EU Dolphinaria
• There are 34 captive facilities keeping an estimated total of 307 individual cetaceans in
15 EU Member States in the EU.
• Species include: an estimated 281 bottlenose dolphins, 12 orcas, 11 harbor porpoises, 2
beluga whales and 1 Amazon River dolphin.
• Of the 28 Member States of the EU, 13 do not have captive dolphin facilities.
Slovenia, Cyprus and Croatia prohibit the keeping of cetaceans in captivity
for commercial purposes, Hungary has prohibited the importation of dolphins,
whilst Greece has banned all animal performances.
• The majority of dolphinaria in the EU are regulated by the national zoo legislation, which
must conform to the requirements of EC Directive 1999/22. Bulgaria is the exception.
• Five Member States (Belgium, Finland, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom)
have specific legislative standards for the keeping of cetaceans in captivity. The UK
Standards have, to date, prevented the further establishment of dolphinaria in the UK.
The Directive (1999/22/EC) : The “Zoo” is a:
“permanent establishments where animals of wild
species are kept for exhibition to the public for 7 or
more days a year, with the exception of circuses, pet
shops…”
This includes the:
Traditional zoo, animal (safari) park, aquarium,
dolphinariums, park with aviary, falconry centre,
butterfly farm, specialist zoo, farm park with wild
animals, sanctuary with wild animals (open to the
public – 7 days of more)..
Directive 1999/22/EC
 Directive came into force in April 2002, when the European Union comprised 15
EU Member States.
 From April 2005 (2007 in the case of Bulgaria and Romania), all EU Member
States were required to fully implement and enforce its requirements.
 The Directive provided a framework for Member State legislation, through the
licensing and inspection of zoos, to:
 Strengthen the role of zoos in the conservation of biodiversity
 Exchange information to promote the protection and conservation of wild animal
species.
 Provide adequate accommodation for animals in zoos that aims to satisfy their biological
needs.
 Ensure animals are provided species-specific enrichment and a high standard of
husbandry.
 Implement programmes of curative veterinary care and the prevention of the escape of
animals.
EU Zoo Inquiry – inc assessment of 17 EU dolphinaria (18 shows)
• Dolphinaria are failing to comply with EC Directive 1999/22
• Making an insignificant contribution to the conservation of
biodiversity.
• Only 14 of 34 facilities promote their involvement in research.
• Only 5.4 % of research at the European Cetacean Society
conferences involves captive cetaceans.
• The commitment to and standard of public education was poor.
• Records indicate that 285 live cetaceans were imported into
the EU between 1979 and 2008, in spite of a prohibition under
EU CITES Regulation 338/97 on imports of cetaceans into the EU
for primarily commercial purposes.
• All facilities fail to meet the biological requirements of cetaceans
in captivity and to provide species-specific enrichment.
• Stress and stereotypic behaviour are common among captive
cetaceans. Animals are regularly treated with Diazepam.
Commitment to species conservation
Conservation status of the species of cetacean held in captivity in the EU.
Species
IUCN conservation status
Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis)
Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas)
Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Black Sea bottlenose dolphin
(Tursiops truncatus ponticus)
Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)
Orca (Orcinus orca)
Data Deficient
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Justifications
Data Deficient
for
keeping and breeding
cetacean species?
Justification for keeping cetaceans in captivity?
EAZA's 2004 annual report states:
"neonatal mortality is a major problem, rendering the total
ex situ bottlenose dolphin population so far not being selfsustaining. In spite of thorough pathological investigations
the problem has not been solved" (Van Lint et al., 2006).
A 1998 review of the European bottlenose dolphin studbook
revealed another fundamental problem: "The number of
founder dolphins, especially in males, might become a
critical factor for the growth of the European population in
the future" (Hartmann, 2000).
Use of Diazepam
• Diazepam (Valium® and generics) is the most commonly used sedative/tranquillizer
in the bottlenose dolphin. A sedative and anticonvulsant, and is used to temporarily
treat certain behaviour disorders, such as stereotypies and anxiety.
• It must be used with extreme caution in animals that are aggressive, or have liver
disease (which may increase the drug’s toxicity) and not used on pregnant animals.
• Long-term usage results in drug tolerance, ensuring that higher and higher doses
are needed to achieve the same effects.
• Tempting to use these medications as a management tool. Used to help mask the
problems of poor husbandry, and of inappropriate and depauperate environments.
• Potentially significant side effects interfering with learning, and aggravating
aggression and self-harm. They can also interfere with sleep patterns.
• If an animal(s) cannot be satisfactorily managed without sedation it should either be
moved to a facility that can look after its welfare appropriately.
• Serious questions need to be asked of those institutions that misuse diazepam, and
the withdrawal of their licenses considered.
How to phase-out dolphinaria?
We should • Prohibit captive breeding;
• Prohibit the import of further cetaceans;
• Prohibit the development of new dolphinaria; and
• Prohibit the expansion of existing dolphinaria.
In the meantime • Drastically improve the health and welfare of existing cetacean
residents.
• Where appropriate and available, work with existing dolphinaria to
transfer captive cetaceans to rehabilitation, retirement and/or release
programmes that comply with the standards of the Global Federation
of Animal Sanctuaries and IUCN release guidelines.