Iris & Ivo, mother and
son, are the 2 last survivors from 31 dolphins brought to or born
in the Antwerpen zoo delphinarium. Both of them have been
captured somewhere in the Mexican Gulf (we've been unable so far
to trace their exact origin) at the beginning of 1981 and arrived
at the Zoo on the 3rd of March of the same year, thus 18 years ago.
3 years ago, the Antwerpen zoo
director, Mr Daman, has announced the closure of its old
delphinarium (opened on the 17th of December 1969), knowing that
it could not follow the european norms for captive cetaceans, and
being unable to build a new facility for them.
25 dolphins were died and 6 other were still living at
that stage, and Mr Daman promissed to send the last survivors
somewhere else before the closure of the delphinarium, if the
number of dolphins was to reach 4 individuals.
In september 1998, following the opening of a web site devoted to the 2 last survivors and the intention of a protest in front of the zoo conducted by an English association, Cetacea Defence (UK), Mr Daman announced that Iris, now 30 years old, was to be sent to the delphinarium of Harderwijk for an happy retreat, whereas her son Ivo, 20 years old, was to be used in a reproduction program at the aquarium of Duisburg zoo.
After the reaction of several
NGO's asking for, if not rehabilitation, that at least the 2
dolphins should not be separated, Mr Daman made a new press
release in november.
In the latter, although he refused the possibility to
rehabilitate the two dolphins, Mr Daman stated this time that
both dolphins would go to the Duisburg zoo.
Since then, a joint proposal
has been put forward by the different NGOs involved and the
Safari-Parc of Port-Saint-Pere, in West of France, offering a
real potentiality to rehabilitate Iris & Ivo.
The next part first lists the problems associated with the
Duisburg solution, and then examines how the Port-Saint-Pere
alternative could solve these problems and at the same time
offers a unique opportunity on the educationnal side.
19 dolphins officially died in 30 years at
Duisburg. Although an ozone cleaning system has been in use in
the last years, the chlorine utilized before cannot explain by
itself such a mortality rate.
It rather reflects the inherent problems of keeping captive a
highly mobile and social species in such a small and
oversimplified environment.
This includes the water chemistry, the absence of sun light, of
natural food and the stressfull effect of reduced space.
5 bottlenosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are
already in Duisburg, including 3 captive born individuals.
If Ivo could probably integrate this unit, it should be much more
difficult for Iris, already weak and depressed (which has been
attested by Mr Daman himself).
In such a reduced and stressful space, she might have to be
isolated, which should prevent any possible recovery.
2. Port-Saint-Pere Safari-Parc
Background:
The European Center for Care and Rehabilitation of Marine Mammals (Centre Européen de Soin et de Réhabilitation des Mammifères Marins, C.E.S.R.M.M.) has been initiated by a diverse panel of NGO members and scientists, including Dr T. Chekchak (National Natural History Museum, Paris), Pr. P. Beaubrun (Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Montpellier) and Dr. A. Collet (Marine Mammals Research Center, La Rochelle).
The C.E.S.R.M.M. has 4
objectives:
revalidation of live stranded seals or cetaceans
rehabilitation of captive dolphins
education towards new approaches of environmental issues
technical and financial support to research
Concerning Iris & Ivo:
They could be accomodated in
one of the widest basin in Europe (total surface: 2500m2 , total
volume: 11830m3). This open air heated basin is chlorine free and
will eventually be filled with sea water.
This first step will allow them to get rid of their captive
linked behaviours (like keeping the head out of the water) as
well as begin a training to wild life by learning to eat live
fish.
The next step will be an enclosed sea pen along the coats of a
Mediterranean island. In this place, their ability to be released
back in the Caribean Sea will be evaluated. If it is not
possible, they would spend their retreat in this sea pen,
enjoying sun, tides and marine life.
Concerning the captivity
issue:
The C.E.S.R.M.M. is directed by
a non-profit organisation, whose role goes beyond the
rehabilitation center itself. Indeed, the mission of this
organisation will include a reassessment of the objectives of the
park.
Captive breeding of the numerous african mammals will be
discuraged, and rehabilitation of some species (including wolves)
is currently under consideration.
As a whole, the park aims at welcoming the animals ceased by
various authorities under the CITES regulation, to offer them
either a permanent home or a step before release in the wild (our
Belgian Ministery of Agriculture has shown high interest in such
a concept).
This reassessment is in
concordance with the new approach of the zoological parks in
general, which focusses increasingly on captive breeding for
threatened species (which is certainly not the case for Tursiops
truncatus) and a captivity environment as close as possible to
the natural one.
This new approach is congruent with the evolution of the
educational role of these parks, in the context of the global
biodiversity crisis.
Text written by : Gauthier Chapelle
(CETUS)