Iris et Ivo
Campaign
1995-2002
ALAN COOPER and
his association Cetacea Defence who launched the first campaign "Iris
Ivo Come Home" alongside with Yvon Godefroid in 1997/1998, at a time
when everybody accepted - even some Belgian activists - that Iris and Ivo
would die in Antwerp's pool and that a campaign could be sent afterwards
!
Without Alan's energy and determination, nothing would have
happened.
Doug
Cartlidge, Director of the European Cetacean Organisation
&
Niki Entrup director of WDCS Germany who sent me a lot of precious
information at a time when I did know almost nothing about dolphin captivity and
the real number of dolphins who died in Antwerp.
Ric
O'Barry who came and
protested with Helene in front of the gates of Antwerp's Zoo, met our dolphins
in their jail and made this campaign more largely known in France and Belgium
for years and until now.
And to :
Planète Vie
Cetus
Delphus
SOS Grand Bleu
GAIA
Cetacean Freedom
Network
Cetacean Society International
which wrote in 1999 :
"Speaking of public influence, Iris and Ivo are the two bottlenose dolphins of growing celebrity that somehow survived in the Antwerp Zoo, which is about to end its dolphin display.
Four Belgian organizations have initiated an international consortium of over 50 organizations and notables, including Ric O'Barry and their own Prince Laurent for the "Save Iris and Ivo Campaign 1999" to prevent Iris and Ivo from being sold to the Duisburg Zoo in Germany. Duisburg has a terrible
history; at least 19 of 24 dolphins there have died. Whales Alive! readers may recall the effort to ensure that Duisburg did not get any river dolphins for a captive breeding
program. A campaign coordinated by German organizations and assisted by local media is ensuring that Duisburg will not get Iris and Ivo
either. There is a solution: A dolphinarium built in France at Port Saint Pere last year was not allowed to import any dolphins, thanks to a strong protest campaign and decision by the Environment
Minister.
The vacant Port Saint Pere facility uses natural sea water and is spacious, open and modern. Pending the Environment Minister's agreement, Port Saint Pere may become the First European Care and Rehabilitation Centre for Marine Mammals, serving both captive and stranded dolphins. No tricks. No swim-with-the-dolphins
programs. Just dolphins among other dolphins, with discreet underwater cameras in order to unobtrusively monitor their
behavior. For the last 8 dolphins at Bruges, the 5 dolphins at Antibes Marineland, and the 6 dolphins (or
less) at Parc Asterix, the new European Rehabilitation Center may become the gateway to
freedom. Letters to the Antwerp Zoo's Director in support of the Save Iris and Ivo Campaign 1999 would be
appreciated: Mr. Frédéric DAMAN, Directeur du Zoo d'Anvers, Antwerp Zoo Royal Society for
Zoology, Koningin Astridplein 26, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium. Fax: +32 (0)3/231.00.18 or +32 (0)3/202.45.50.
Zoo's web site:
http://www.zooantwerpen.be/nl/zoo/index.html"
Propaganda
!
Text about Iris and Ivo
on Duisburg Zoo Website
IRIS und IVO sind im Frühjahr 1999 aus dem Delphinarium des Zoo Antwerpen nach Duisburg übergesiedelt. Dieser Transfer zweier so wertvoller Tiere wurde auf Empfehlung der Artkommission des Europäischen Erhaltungszuchtprogrammes (EEP) für den Großen Tümmler durchgeführt. Die Kommission hat die Haltungsbedingungen für unsere Delphine wie auch deren Pflege mit dieser Empfehlung gewürdigt.
Die Tiere wurden im Rahmen des EEP vom Zoo Antwerpen ohne finanzielle Forderungen an unseren Zoo auf unbegrenzte Zeit in unser Delphinarium eingestellt! Dies ist ein Beispiel dafür, wie heute Zoologische Gärten ihre Pfleglinge nicht länger als Eigentum der Institution sondern als ihnen anvertraute Leihgaben der Natur behandeln.
IRIS gehört mit einem Alter von über 30 Jahren zu den ältesten weiblichen Delphinen in Europa.
Ähnlich wie bei älteren Menschen ist ihr Bewegungsdrang nicht mehr so groß wie früher. Sie verbringt den Tag mit Fitneßübungen außerhalb der Vorführungen - immerhin erfreut man sich dann der ungeteilten Zuwendung der Tierpfleger! - und ausgedehnten "Siestas". Als "Grande Dame" läßt man sich nur noch selten dazu herab, an den Vorführungen selbst teilzunehmen. IRIS verläßt auch nur ungern ihren selbstgewählten Aufenthaltsort, nimmt dort jedoch gerne mehrere Male am Tage das "Defilée" ihrer mit ihr zusammen lebenden Artgenossen ab. Ältere Delphindamen statten eben selbst keinen Besuch ab, erwarten jedoch von der Delphingesellschaft soziale
Kontakte.
Entgegen manchen reißerischen Beiträgen im world wide web ist der Gesundheitszustand von Iris im Verhältnis zu ihrem Alter gut, und sie steht auch keineswegs kurz vor ihrem
Ableben.
IVO ist ein Macho par Excellence und strotzt mit seinen 21 Jahren vor Manneskraft, die sich zuchtfördernd bestätigt. In den Vorführungen glänzt er normaler Weise durch großen Ehrgeiz und beklagt sich lauthals bei seinen Pflegern, wenn seines Erachtens z. B. ein Ball einmal zu tief
hängt.
Jedoch ist er bei Geschick verlangenden Übungen den Damen weit unterlegen. Ohne an dieser Stelle der Mystifizierung der Delphine Vorschub leisten zu wollen, ist dies widerum sehr
menschlich!
April
2002
PLEASE, SAVE IRIS !
iris in Antwerp in 1998
Message
to Duisburg ZOO Dolphin staff
In March 1999 two bottlenose dolphins named Iris and Ivo (that had been
captured in the wild in 1981 then kept confined 18 years in the lethal kidney-shaped pool of Antwerp's delphinarium), were sent to your facility, the
Duisburg Zoo, after all the other 29 dolphins and Antwerp had died.
At that time, the Antwerp's zoo management as well as the Belgian political authorities had agreed to this transfer because they were convinced that the
"Belgian" dolphins - "onze Flippers", as they said - would be kept in a better
way in your installations, known to be the best ones in Germany.
Mr Fred Daman, the zoo director, took great care not to separate Iris and her son
Ivo, while M. Philippe Jouk, the responsible person of the "dolphin staff",
declared openly that he felt very concerned by the future welfare of "his"
dolphins and that he was sure they would be much happier in their new Duisburg home and in the company of their
"new little family".
So one night Iris and Ivo were discreetly sent to Germany with all their personal
toys and their "Antwerp fish diet". One of their favourite trainers, Annelise, escorted them during the journey to Duisburg.
Unfortunately, four years after their arrival, it must be feared that their conditions of life seem to be not as good
as had been expected at the time of transfer.
Ivo seems to be okay right now : of course, on your website and during the show you keep telling people that Ivo is a kind of joyful "latin lover". That's surely
right but you always forget to add that Play Boy died because of the presence of
Ivo.
Every dolphin keeper knows that it is very unsuitable to put two adult males in the same basin...
For Iris, the situation is even more unpleasant. Since the day of her arrival, she
was kept almost exclusively in a separate minute basin, doing nothing but to
sleep. She hardly swam in the main large basin, just for some months before the death of her last, now dead, calf. Afterwards she went back to her little
"retirement basin" where she has been all alone ever since!
Maybe she is healthy - that's what we all hope ! - but one thing is sure, she is not behaving normally.
On your web site and during your dolphin shows, you tell the audience that "Iris
is now an old granny who just needs to rest", but as specialists of cetaceans, you
know perfectly well that such statement cannot be considered as scientific truth.
Even if we know little about the ageing of cetaceans, it is sure that normal dolphins do not behave like that and that they do not need any retirement in the
wild.
Please read again the wonderful description of the end of the life of an orca named Stubbs, as is described in the book of Eric Hoyt
"Orca : A whale called Killer".(Camdem House 2000).
Old cetaceans are certainly quieter, they follow the pod from a distance, but they NEVER stop to be active and are
surrounded by caring youngsters until the last day of their lives.
As specialist of cetaceans and as a scientist, you know also perfectly well that Iris is NOT old but that she
is just depressed and dangerously inactive for her age.
May I remind you that she-dolphin Puck, more than 35 years old, is still very active in
Bruges Dolfinarium and recently even gave birth to calves.
Following the book "Cetacean Societies : Field studies of Dolphins and
Whales", (University of Chicago Press. 2000), free dolphins can reach
the age of 40 years and more for males, and 50 and more for females (Wells and Scott
1999)
Telling people that Iris is old and "just taking a rest" is pure anthromorphism, not a pedagogical or scientific information.
Maybe it's too late for a release in the wild for Iris and Ivo.
On the other hand, no lagoons are presently available for their immediate et real
"retirement" in better and more natural conditions of life. Such projects are very expensive and the money is now in the hands of the Dolphin Industry, which spend each year thousands of dollars in useless breeding programs.
But in order to help Iris getting a better life, to cure her depression and to prevent her from dying prematurely, we are convinced
you are still able to give her more stimulations and some minimal Environmental Enrichment for Captive Animals, as recommended by American Zoo and Aquarium Association and
its Behavior and Husbandry Advisory Group
http://www.aza.org/Accreditation/AccreditAdditions/
Some specific improvements could still be possible within your facility, as to give Iris a "personal" trainer again during the main shows, as you did during the six first months after her arrival, in order to help her to accompany the show, at least at a distance, and "work" alongside with the others, instead of staying with her head under the water.
I remind you that Iris, when she was alone with her son in Antwerp's delphinarium during the last years, was at least allowed to receive
some human visitors on the edge of her pool, because her former trainers, who seemed more concerned by her psychological welfare than you are, knew her
life was then awfully boring. She seemed to appreciate these contacts.
I know we are certainly not on the same wave-length.
For you, it's normal and justifiable to catch free animals and to use them as
pedagogical,
scientific and economic tools for the benefit of humans.
For us, dolphins are sentient individuals with the right to live following their own
rules, in their own world with their own friends and relatives.
Freedom is the base of their dignity and all the delphinria should be closed as
soon as possible.
But the difference is maybe not so deep : dolphin keepers and dolphin defenders are both concerned for the welfare of captive
cetaceans.
That's why I urge you to give Iris a new chance to live in better conditions and to do the maximum in order to take her out her depression and
boredom.
More than 2700 persons signed a petition in order to help her.
Please listen to this people.
Thanks in advance for your cooperation
Y.Godefroid, Brussels.
RETTET IRIS!
Im März 1999 wurden zwei Delphine, Iris und ihr Sohn Ivo, die man 1981 gefangen
und 18 lange Jahre im Delphinarium von Antwerpen eingesperrt hatte, in den Zoo
von Duisburg transportiert. Sie waren die einzigen Überlebenden einer Gruppe
von 29 Delphinen und daher
hatten sowohl die Verantwortlichen des Zoos von Antwerpen wie auch die zuständigen
belgischen Instanzen diesem Transfer zugestimmt in der Annahme, dass die "belgischen"
Delphine bessere Lebensbedingungen in der deutschen Einrichtung finden würden,
die als
eine der „besten" in Deutschland gilt.
Vier Jahre später scheint es Ivo einigermassen gut zu gehen, aber für Iris (31
Jahre alt) sieht die Sache schlimmer aus. Seit dem Tag ihrer Ankunft wurde sie
fast ausschließlich in einem separaten kleinen Becken gehalten, in dem sie
apathisch treibt, den Kopf unter Wasser. Auf
der Homepage des Duisburger Zoos und auch während der Vorstellungen wird dem
Publikum weisgemacht, dass „Iris jetzt eine alte Oma ist, die Ruhe braucht.".
Delphin Experten wissen ganz genau, dass solche Aussage nicht der
wissenschaftlichen Wahrheit entsprechen. Gesunde Delphine benehmen sich anders;
sie kennen keinen „Ruhestand". In der Freiheit sind alte Delphine
zweifellos langsamer und folgen den anderen mit einem gewissen Abstand, aber sie
bleiben IMMER aktiv. Sie jagen und leben bis zu ihrem letzten Tag in der Gruppe,
umgeben von vielen Jungtieren.
Nach dem Buch "Cetacean Societies : Field studies of Dolphins and Whales"
(University of Chicago Press. 2000) beträgt das Alter für freilebende Delphine
40 Jahre und mehr für männliche und über 50 Jahre für weibliche Tiere. Die
Erklärung also, dass Iris alt ist und sich ausruhen muss, ist inkorrekt.
Iris ist NICHT alt, sondern sie leidet an einer Depression und an einem geradezu
bedrohlichen Mangel an Stimulierung.
Nun haben mehr als 2500 Leute eine internationale Petition unterzeichnet mit der
Forderung nach besseren Lebensbedingungen für Iris und Ivo, vorzugsweise in
einer geschützten, natürlichen oder halb-natürlichen Lagune. Leider sind
derartige Lagunen für den sofortigen Umzug an einen Ort mit Meerwasser, Sonne
und lebenden Fischen im Moment nicht vorhanden, und eine Auswilderung könnte
sich nach so vielen Jahren der Gefangenschaft als riskant erweisen.
Um aber Iris trotzdem helfen zu können, sie aus ihrer Depression zu holen und
dadurch ihren frühzeitigen Tod zu verhindern, fordern wir den Duisburger Zoo
auf, ihr mehr Anregungen (Animal Enrichment Program) und Zuwendung zu geben.
Derartige Hilfen werden auch von der amerikanischen Zoo and Aquarium
Association und deren Behavior and Husbandry Advisory Group http://www.aza.org/Accreditation/AccreditAdditions/
empfohlen und praktiziert, z.B. von:
- Dr Diana Reiss (Wild Conservation Society), die im New Yorker Zoo ein
"Animal Enrichment Program" und Bewusstseinsuntersuchungen an
gefangenen Delphinen durchführt http://wcs.org/7411/?art=49328
- und Eathtrust/Project Delphis in Hawaii - http://www.earthtrust.org/delphis.html
Rettet Iris! Nichtstun ist tödlich. Dank für jede Hilfe!
PETITION
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/959437581
Traduction
Herma Caelen
Vegi Info
