Morgan fights for freedom – Appeal Process Started

With financial assistance from Sam Simon, an American director, producer, writer, cartoonist, and philanthropist, Morgan will now have a chance to appeal the decision denying her the right to return to the ocean.  Morgan was captured in the waters off the Netherlands, under a ‘rehabilitation and release’ permit.

Mr Simon comments “Quite simply, Morgan, an intelligent, highly social animal that used to swim 100 kilometres a day in the wild, has been illegally abducted by the captivity industry and  is now forced to perform idiotic tricks in a bathtub.  She must be returned to her family. This is probably her last chance.”

The Free Morgan Foundation, formed to help return this orca to the wild, states the capture permit was violated and has begun the legal process to appeal the decision to keep her in captivity. Morgan currently performs in front of paying visitors, at the German owned entertainment park Loro Parque, in Spain. The park has close ties with USA SeaWorld, who want to use Morgan for their breeding program. SeaWorld now apparently include Morgan as one of their own animals in their recent prospectus for the upcoming IPO of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.

Dr Ingrid Visser, an orca scientist who has been an expert witness at the previous hearings and who is the Chairperson of the Free Morgan Foundation states; “I’ve personally seen Morgan being attacked many times by the other orca at Loro Parque. I have photographs of aggression and bite marks.  Morgan chews on the concrete walls of her tank due to stress and boredom.  She’s lost the top third of some of her teeth in just 19 weeks and is clearly suffering.  Yet the park denies any issues.

Sam Simon has provided financial support for Morgan’s appeal. He believes, like the Free Morgan Foundation, that Morgan should be given a chance at rehabilitation and release.

Simon recently donated funding for the anti-whaling organisation Sea Shepherd to enable them to purchase a new vessel in order to fight the poaching of whales in Antarctica by the Japanese.

He has previously funded a facility dedicated to rescuing and retraining stray dogs for adoption and as ‘service’ dogs for people in need.

Now his philanthropic support will give Morgan another chance to return to the ocean.

Morgan chews on the concrete tank walls as a result of stress and boredom. In just weeks she has worn off the tops of some of her teeth.  This was documented and presented as evidence in the 1st of November hearing, in the Netherlands. Credit: Dr Ingrid N. Visser / freemorgan.org
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16 thoughts on “Morgan fights for freedom – Appeal Process Started”

  1. Are there no laws to protect this animal. They clearly violated the capture permit. What is wrong with society that we allow this type of cruelty?????

  2. He’s an amazing man and other celebrities should be using their platforms with the media and fnances to do more for biodiversity, the environment, and sustainable living. I applaud Sam Simon and the legacy he will leave. FREE MORGAN!!

  3. Well done to Sam Simon. All the people who love and respect animals are grateful for your support to Morgan – sadly very few speak out and fight on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves and who have no rights in this greedy, greedy society.

  4. Thank you, Mr Simon.
    Morgan needs to be released from her concrete prison and I applaud your decision to help.
    I wish more people were like you….

  5. Thank you SO much Mr.Simon! Morgan needs to be free, with her family! It is people like you that change the world. You have a good heart.

  6. You’ll never knwo how much I like to thank you Mr. Simon. You’re a hero in this only money counting, cold and sad world. FREE MORGAN !!!

  7. Yes, Sam is a real hero for helping animals in need and supporting animal welfare. I greatly admire celebrities and other philanthropists who invest in worthy causes, rather than vacuously simply seek publicity for self-promotion. People like Sam Simon are leading the change to a world where animals are treated kindly and respectfully. Blessings to all who work or volunteer for animal welfare.

  8. Please request the Animal Legal Defense Fund and/or Sam Simon’s legal team to obtain an urgent injunction requiring Loro Parque to remove the sexually aggressive adult male orca that has been attempting to rape young female orca Morgan – who is not yet sexually mature – from Morgan’s pool. Loro Parque and Seaworld should lose their licenses for this negligent breach of their duty to protect the cetaceans in their care from harm – instead they appear to have allegedly wilfully deliberately exposed Morgan to harm by placing the adult male orca in her pool in an attempt to get her pregnant. They should lose their licenses for this.

  9. Thank you so much Sam Simon, The most beautiful thing we’ve been waiting is to see Morgan be released and swim free as it should be , we need to see more people like you…hope some will follow you<3

  10. How can we stand by and witness mindless cruelty to such a beautiful, powerful beast. Please God, those with the possibility of helping will do so.

  11. Thanks to you for doing something , Anything in this fight to free Morgan I have told all my friends and family to sign the petition and hope that the powers that be , judge, find it in their power and in their hearts to let her go. This is the saddest thing I’ve ever seen . All of them should be released.

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