WDCS protest in ASCOBANS
The whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) submitted a release plan for Morgan to the Advisory Committee of the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS). ASCOBANS is the international treaty competent in the conservation of killer whales in the North Atlantic, and Holland is a party in this international convention, a subsidiary instrument of the Convention in Migratory Species (CMS). The Dutch Authorities submitted a letter stating that the only alternatives for Morgan where euthanasia or keeping her in captivity with other orcas. Although some parties suggested that “the sooner the animal could be released the better”, other doubted whether the case “was a priority to the Agreement”. WDCS was invited to resubmit the issue for consideration at subsequent meetings if so desired, but no documents were submitted to the 2012 Advisory Committee.
By the end of May 2011 technical staff from the Harderwijk Dolfinarium visited the facilities of Loro Parque to check if they would meet the standards to host a killer whale, and if it would be feasible to integrate her in the group of Loro Parque. After the visit they concluded that the management and installations would be ideal to host Morgan, and the conservation and education activities were in line with those established by the Biodiversity Department of the Dutch Government.((See WDCS protest in ASCOBANS) )
