Fight for Morgan’s Freedom Will Continue

The Free Morgan Foundation was saddened to hear the verdict from the Judges of the Amsterdam Court today. Despite the fact that Morgan’s right to freedom was clearly outlined by many orca scientists from around the world, the captivity industries duplicitous manner has resulted in this step backwards for Morgan and humanity. Our Expert Board comments on the verdict as the next steps to appeal her freedom will begin today. Morgan has suffered severely at Loro Parque and we will not let this go unnoticed.

“Morgan has become a pawn in a game, where corporate marine park owners remove wild orcas from the ocean, only to be put into servitude as a performer for their monetary gain, and to be used as a breeding machine who will add genetic diversity to help them continue making millions off orcas held in tiny tanks. Morgan should never have been moved to Loro Parque, where she is being abused by the other orcas, giving her no chance of living a natural life in the ocean.”

– Susan Berta, Co-Founder, Orca Network

“The sad part of this is not only that Morgan will not be free … is that we can see how bad humans can be, how ignorant we can be and selfish…. I hope one day people will realize that we all have right to live free in this world…. using orca for entertainment knowing how bad is this for them is the best example of how bad we can be…. I only hope that one day we will not have to be talking about this anymore.”

– Juan Manuel Copello, Principal Researcher, Punta Norte Orca Research Project

“It is so disappointing that after all the scientific evidence put forward to demonstrate that Morgans re-release has every chance of being successful, that this animal has been sentenced to a life of captivity. I do not feel that this decision is in the best interest of the animal, nor that animal welfare considerations have been taken into account, thus I would have to question the motivation behind such a decision.”

– Dr Verné Dove, Cetacean Field Veterinarian, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

“Words cannot express my disappointment at the verdict. It baffles me that as humans we would condemn Morgan to an existence in a tank for the apparent entertainment and monetary value she provides.”

– Sarah Dwyer, Cetacean Researcher, New Zealand

“We are very disappointed in the Dutch courts decision in not allowing Morgan another chance at freedom. It was apparent with the information that was given during testimony in November that Morgan will not live a long and healthy life in her current situation”

– Jeff Foster

“Very sorry to hear that Morgan won’t be allowed to feel her home waters again and will not be able to get away from the stressful, dangerous and dysfunctional captives she’s crammed in with at Loro Parque.”

– Howard Garrett, Co-Founder, Orca Network

“It is extremely unfortunate that after all the strong evidence we presented, and the very weak hearsay the captivity industry presented, that the court still ruled in their favor. This means there is still a lot public education required to really expose how these animals are treated in captivity.”

– Terry Hardie, Co-Founder, Free Morgan Foundation

“Once again greed and ignorance were allowed to succeed. The Dutch authorities failed to correct their initial mistake and declined a wild animal’s right for freedom. Condemning yet another orca to be a slave to human entertainment, sacrificed for human profit. It is a sad day for Morgan, for the Netherlands and for all cetacean lovers across the globe.”

– Stefan Jacobs

“A heart-breaking outcome. Morgan has been condemned to live a short, impoverished life amongst the most dysfunctional group of captive orcas in the world today. All for profit and all for entertainment. A sad day indeed!”

– Rob Lott, Policy Manager, Whale and Dolphin Conservation

““When we return wild animals to nature, we merely return them to what is already theirs. For man cannot give wild animals freedom, they can only take it away.” (Jacques Cousteau) Today is a very sad day for Morgan and other cetaceans in captivity. Despite all the compelling evidence presented, human greed has prevailed once more!”

– Emmanuelle Martinez, Senior Research Scientist, Pacific Whale Foundation Australia

“I’m very saddened to see that the judges did not rectify an enormously wrong decision and I’m in dismay to see that the FMF claims regarding the unlawfulness of the rescuing, keeping captive transfer and prolonged captivity of Morgan have not been granted, regardless of the huge amount of evidence proving that our position is not only scientifically valid but ethically the only way to go. From the beginning on, this case showed the careless and un-thoughtful behaviors of both Ministry and keepers in forcing a wild animal to captivity for the sake of private interests and corporate benefits. Hiding behind “common practice” and “accepted solution” (when referring to orcas captivity) is just a feeble attempt to dodge responsibilities and avoid spending money and time in a proper rehab and release project, as the one suggested in the FMF plan. Unfortunately this behavior and allowing to export Morgan in another country make Morgan’s freedom more and more difficult and force us to start all over again the battle in Spanish court. We still need the people’s support cos the fight for Morgan’s freedom is far from over. A direct appeal to Spanish authorities, CITES, European Court, Parliament and Commissions: stop covering up Loro Parque, stop applying the policy of silence and consensus and just do the right thing: listen to the thousands of voices that scream “Free Morgan”.”

– Lara Pozzato, Co-Founder, Free Morgan Foundation

“What a truly sad day for Morgan. With this verdict we are sure to see her continue to suffer unnecessarily, purely for profit. It makes me sick to think of the short and miserable life she is destined to live in captivity.”

– Carol Ray, Former Orca Trainer

“Morgan’s loss is humanity’s loss, a lesson about our species’ ignorance. She does not deserve to suffer and die in a tank for the profit and pleasure of ignorant people, especially as knowledgeable people are willing and able to give her back her freedom.”

– William Rossiter, President, Cetacean Society International

“It is very disappointing to hear of the courts decision today, for the courts to reject so many eminently qualified opinions in favor of Morgan’s freedom is a travesty of justice.”

– Troy Saville

“This is a very sad day for Morgan, who deserved only a chance to regain a life in the ocean, which she richly deserves. The outcome shows clearly that the business interests of the captive industry outweighed scientific evidence, common sense and humanity. Poor Morgan. Justice also lost today.”

– Paul Spong & Helena Symonds, OrcaLab

“It is sad that Morgan’s stressful circumstances are not recognized and that she is not given the chance for rehabilitation and release in her natural habitat, especially given all newly available data on her native population.”

– Dr. Astrid van Ginneken, Co-Principal Researcher and Consultant, Center for Whale Research

“This is a travesty. It is an outrageous injustice that has been served on Morgan. But this decision only serves as fuel for an engine driving people to stop entertainment parks that abuse animals in order to make money. I will not allow Morgan’s fate to be sealed by this decision. I will seek retribution through the Spanish Court and go after Loro Parque for their cruelty to Morgan. Her behaviour clearly shows that she is unhappy and stressed and this is due to the other orca attacking and harassing her. Morgan will not become invisible because of this decision, rather she will become the poster-child of all that is wrong within the captivity industry.”

– Dr. Ingrid Visser, Orca Researcher and Co-founder, Free Morgan Foundation

“We still, sadly, vastly underestimate the intelligence of animals and their ability to suffer in confinement. We have no right to take away this wild animal’s freedom for the mere purpose of human entertainment.”

– Francoise Wemelsfelder

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Morgan’s Plight Continues

I’ve just been to visit Morgan and was saddened to see that her life hasn’t improved. Despite us alerting Loro Parque to the issues that we had noted and presented in our evidence to Court on the 1st of November 2012, nothing appears to have changed for Morgan.

I observed her chewing on concrete and her teeth with blue paint on them. She was also still bashing her head against the concrete. She has some sort of a wound above her right eye – the source of which is unclear – but it may be a secondary infection from a rake mark, a growth of some sort or a raw wound from bashing her face on the concrete. The damaged tissue on her lower jaw (termed hypertrophic tissue) is still enlarged and I photographed an open wound on the tip of it.

Additionally, Keto, the adult male is continually shadowing Morgan and harassing her. It is clear that Loro Parque is pushing hard for him to impregnate her. With the verdict for Morgan’s court case to be read tomorrow, we can only hope that Morgan will be given the legal right to be taken out of the ‘abusement park’ Loro Parque.

– Dr Ingrid N. Visser

Wound over Morgan’s eye, from an unknown cause. This image was taken on the 10th of Dec 2012. Photo © Dr Ingrid N. Visser
The tissue damage on the end of Morgan’s jaw has not improved. This image also shows her left lower teeth with the tips worn off and blue paint visible along some of their edges. Photo taken 10th December 2012 by Dr. Ingrid Visser.
Loro Parque claim that Morgan is only 4 years old, yet they keep her with a sexually active male, Keto, who harasses her. Photo taken on the 9th December 2012 by Dr. Ingrid Visser.
Morgan is continually shadowed and harassed by Keto, the adult male. Photo taken on the 10th December 2012 by Dr. Ingrid Visser.
Morgan, on the left is dwarfed in size by the adult male Keto, who is the father of the two calves born at Loro Parque. Photo taken on the 11th December 2012 by Dr. Ingrid Visser.
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Dr. Visser Says Park Suing Her Over Report Submitted in Court

Digital Journal’s Elizabeth Batt has released a story detailing how Loro Parque’s lawyers are threatening Dr Visser. The case revolves around the evidence Dr Visser has presented, about Morgan. In an attempt to intimidate her and to try and prevent her from presenting her evidence in Court on the 1st of November just past, Dr Visser explains how the threats only fueled the fire to help Morgan. Read the full story.

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