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Daisy Sentenced To Life In Aquarium Prison
posted on July 29, 2009
 The Harbour porpoise, Daisy, who has been moved to the Vancouver Aquarium will spend the rest of her life in an aquarium prison if she survives. This inhumane move will also open the door for the captivity of other Harbour Porpoises as a new aquarium attraction.
“It was apparent from the beginning that the Aquarium had no intention to release her,” stated Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce Founder, “They were teaching her to perform tricks not rehabilitating her for release. Instead of being rewarded with freedom for her struggle to survive, she is being punished by being forced to be an aquarium circus performer. The greatest threat to porpoises is the human predators exploiting them as a first North American show.”
Background
On May 1, 2009 Lifeforce wrote to the Vancouver Aquarium’s veterinarian and DFO proposing that Daisy be immediately removed to a sea pen at their research station for a study of porpoise behaviour, rehabilitation and release. She would be introduced to foraging for fish, readapt to natural life and rejoin porpoises in the wild. Daisy could provide rehabbers and others with a greater insight into Harbour porpoise behaviour and more data about releasing marine mammals. This is consistent with stated Aquarium goals to use “untapped resources” such as the “Greater Use of Rehabilitation and Display Animals” for research (Marine Mammals in the Lab: Tools for Conservation and Science, September 2007). Most importantly Daisy would be treated more humanely. Failure to do so will lose a rare chance for Daisy and science itself.
This porpoise is a fighter. Although she was cruelly confined for months, she has beaten the odds to survive and be free. She is a good candidate for release options. It was once an Aquarium "fact" that if a human touches a seal pup the mom would not take her back. However this was proven to be incorrect. The Vancouver Aquariums has made many mistakes (see the Lifeforce video “Rehab 101” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONDN0I2qwSk). Many have died in the hands of these self-proclaimed experts and it is luck if any survive.
Hamilton added, “There are still many unknowns about marine species. It is not a proven scientific fact that a young porpoise cannot be rehabbed for release. It is not a proven fact that she is better off in captivity and captivity would not kill her. There are examples of successful Harbour Porpoise releases.”
See also:
Free Daisy
Free Daisy.
Dolphin Freedom NOT Captivity!
Dolphin Freedom NOT Captivity.
For further information: Peter Hamilton lifeforcesociety@hotmail.com
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