Morgan- young Orca in the Netherlands

Morgan, a young female killer whale, captured in the Wadden Sea, off the north coast of the Netherlands in June, 2010 is being detained at Harderwijk Dolfinarium despite a comprehensive plan to return her to the wild.  Help us make sure she does not live a life in captivity!

Read The Orca Project’s complete report on Morgan here:
Dutch Marine Park Says Rescued Juvenile Killer Whale Morgan is Destined for Life in Captivity.

… and an update on her legal battle here:
A Plea for Help! Morgan the Orca’s Day in Court is 8-3-2011. Will it be Too Late?

How to Help:

Visit and support the organizations working to ensure that Morgan does not end up living her life in captivity, performing for the public at a marine park:

FreeMorgan.nl (on the Web) The Free Morgan Group is comprised of a wide range of internationally based orca experts and advocates coordinating a plan to successfully reintroduce captive orca Morgan back with her family in her home waters.

FreeMorgan.com (on the Web) (FaceBook) A website dedicated to raising international awareness to the plight of Morgan, a young female orca captured of the coast of the Netherlands on June 23, 2010, now facing a possible life of exploitation in captivity.

Orka Coalitie (on the Web) (FaceBook) A coalition of Netherland based animal rights groups formed to employ political pressure, public actions and possible legal steps to ensure the safe release of captive orca Morgan from Dolfinarium Harderwijk.

Sign a Petition:

Sign a petition to the Dutch Government supporting Morgan’s release from captivity and reintroduction to the wild by clicking <HERE>.

Write a Letter:

You really can make a difference, no matter where you live – Amsterdam, Alaska, Argentina, or Africa.

One of the best ways to get governments and organizations to act is to put pressure on them. Sample letters are provided below. Please feel free to copy and paste, or write your own text, if you’d prefer.

Contact Dr. Henk Bleker at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture, and Innovation, which is the government agency responsible for Morgan:

h.bleker@minlnv.nl
Dr. Henk Bleker (State Secretary) Minister for Agriculture and Foreign Trade
Ministerie van LNV Postbus 20401
2500 EK Den Haag, Netherlands
tel: + 31 77 465 6767

Write to Bert van Plateringen, the PR manager at the Harderwijk Dolfinarium, and ask him why the Dolfinarium won’t release Morgan:

Bert.van.Plateringen@dolfinarium.nl
tel: +31 (0)341 467 477 moblie: +31 (0)6 288 111 38

You can also contact the Dutch Embassy or Consulate in your home country. Here is a link to a listing of Dutch embassies and consulates:   http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/netherlands1.htm

Here is a sample letter to the Dutch Government:

Dear ____________;

I am writing to express my concern for the young orca, Morgan, who was captured and brought to the Harderwijk Dolfinarium in June, 2010. My understanding is that the Dolfinarium would rehabilitate Morgan, the release her. But that is not happening.

Morgan should be released back to the wild. A concrete tank is no place for a wild animal who can swim up to 100 km per day. Captive orcas do not live as long as they do in the wild. They can develop physical and psychological problems in captivity. For example, two trainers were killed by captive orcas during the winter of 2009-2010 at Loro Parque in Tenerife and at Seaworld in Orlando. Orcas don’t belong in captivity.

The recent recommendation by the Harderwijk Dolfinarium completely ignores the animal welfare issues associated with keeping orcas in captivity.

Moreover, the Dolfinarium’s report ignores any possible alternatives for a life in the wild for Morgan. I am aware that Morgan’s family has not yet been confirmed, but that should not preclude a return to the ocean. One option, for example, would be to transport her to a temporary sea-pen in Norway, with the understanding that complete freedom is the ultimate goal. She will initially require human care, but there are international orca experts ready to assist with a relocation plan.

Please do not let the reputation of the Netherlands be blemished by a decision to wrongly confine Morgan to captivity. Please ensure that you make a decision consistent with Dutch nature policy which claims to ensure that nature is preserved for future generations.

Please ensure that Morgan is brought back to the ocean, where she belongs.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

(your name and address)

–

What else YOU can do:

• Tell your friends and families not to visit or support Marine Mammal Parks like Miami Seaquarium, SeaWorld and Six Flags.
• Call your Congressman and elected officials and tell them not to support Marine Mammal captivity. To locate your government officials, click <HERE>.