Today’s verdict by the Dutch court could mean that Morgan, the young female wild-caught orca, could spend the rest of her life in captivity. This is a sad outcome for the hundreds of people, who have been campaigning worldwide for her release back to the wild.
 
The court determined that even though Morgan had been found in a state of near collapse in the North Sea and had been brought to a facility in Holland to recover and to potentially be released, that her transfer to a commercial display facility in Tenerife was legal.
 
“Morgan should be given the chance to go back to the wild or, at the very least, she should be given the opportunity to be the first resident in a yet-to-be-created orca rescue centre,” said Daniel Turner, ENDCAP’s Coordinator. “In my view, she should not be put on display and made to perform. She should not be the helpless target of aggression and bullying, meted out to her by the other captive orca in their tiny artificial world in Tenerife.”
 
Undoubtedly, the captive industry regards Morgan as extremely important to their future. She is ‘new blood’ – a wild orca, a female, young. She is reportedly insured for US$10 million.
 
ENDCAP members and other animal welfare NGOs will not forget her plight and seek change in the EU that could bring an end to the keeping of cetaceans in captivity. Until then, don’t buy a ticket to facilities that display cetaceans for entertainment purposes.
 
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