Marineland In the News

Orca whale in captivity (Zoocheck's website)

The Toronto Star has published a three part series about Marineland, the marine/amusement park in Niagra Falls, Ontario, exposing serious health problems with their marine mammals, as well as lack of proper care due to chronic staff shortages. Check out Zoocheck's twitter for links to the articles and other recent news coverage about Marineland. If you are interested in helping animals at Marineland and other marine parks, Zoocheck's website offers some great suggestions.

Limba the Elephant

Limba is known to be the oldest elephant in Canada. She was born in Vietnam in 1964. At one year of age she was captured and has lived the rest of her life in captivity. Limba is used in the entertainment industry, as part of Cirque Mondo, as well as at fairs, parades, movies, commercials and children's parties.

Learn more about Limba and join a growing movement that wants Limba granted the freedom to retire and enjoy the rest of her years at an elephant sanctuary.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/cara-concordia-animal-rights-montreal/my-name-is-limba/388718027851528

Orcas in Captivity Versus The Wild

Grade 3/4 students at Dundas Street Public School recently learned more about orcas and their habitats. They compared the life of an orca in the wild with the life of an orca in a marine park. 

Their postcards on behalf of Corky show us some of the struggles that orcas face in captivity:

Orcas in marine parks are socially isolated from their family pod: 

Picture by Xin

They live in barren environments: 

Picture by Declan

They are confined to small pools and can't engage in natural behaviours like hunting: 

Picture by Jessica

They suffer high mortality rates: 

Picture by Alex

They have to perform circus tricks to earn food:

Picture by Maxwell

In the wild, their lives are vastly different:

Orcas live their whole life with their family pod:

Picture by Razore

They hunt in a vast and stimulating ocean environment using echolocation:

Picture by Helen

They can swim for many kilometres each day: 

Picture by Jierui

They have freedom: 

Thanks to all the students for their great artwork and comments. Their postcards will be sent to Seaworld, where Corky, who has been in captivity for more than 40 years, lives. Hopefully Corky gets a chance to reunite with her family pod, and swim in the ocean once again. She deserves her freedom after all these years. 

Urban Wildlife

These are some of the cool plaster casts of tracks that students at Dundas Street Public School made recently during their Keep It Wild! workshop. Studying animal tracks is a great way to connect with wild animals and learn more about the wildlife that lives in the city. Tracks are easiest to spot along creek and river beds, and in muddy trails after a recent rainfall. There are lots of resources on the web that explain how to make plaster casts of tracks. Check some of them out this summer and see if you can capture some tracks! 

Back to the Blue

Tom and Misha (picture from Born Free website)

Tom and Misha are two dolphins that recently made it back to the wild, after spending six years in a small and filthy swimming pool in a Turkish resort. Both dolphins were born in the wild, and have been in captivity as part of a dolphin swim for tourists.

After almost two years of planning and rehabilitation, the two dolphins were released back into the ocean. The dolphins are being tracked and appear to be adapting well to life in the wild  They are hunting and have travelled hundreds of miles now that they are free. Their successful rehabilitation and release will hopefully inspire other campaigns to send more captive dolphins back to the blue.

Learn more about their time in captivity and their release at: Born Free

Saving Lives & Changing Hearts

Rob Laidlaw, founder of Zoocheck Canada, has authored several children's books about animals in captivity. His newest book, Saving Lies & Changing Hearts: Animal Sanctuaries and Rescue Centres, will be released this summer. From a donkey sanctuary in Canada to a bear rescue centre in China, this book examines numerous efforts around the world to rescue and care for animals in need. A great book to inspire those who care about animals.