WILLEMSTAD - The judge has set the hearing date of the summary proceedings against Sea Aquarium and Dolphin Academy on Thursday 2 June. Press judge Sigmar Carmelia confirms this to the Dutch news site NU.cw. The animal welfare organization Animal Rights filed an emergency procedure against the park over the transport of dolphins to Saudi Arabia.
Animal Rights has obtained reliable information that five dolphins are being prepared for a flight to the Fakieh Aquarium in Jeddah. According to the organization, the dolphins are separated from the group and are only fed by the new trainers from Fakieh Aquarium who have traveled to Curaçao. It would be the dolphins Serena, Machu, Mosa, Sami and Luna.
The organization states that the long journey will have a huge impact on the young dolphins. In addition, the bottlenose dolphins in Jeddah would be housed in a chlorine basin. “A lot of dolphins have died in this park because of the appalling conditions,” said Animal Rights.
Animal Rights has asked the judge to ban Dolphin Academy from flying the dolphins to Jeddah, or any other country. In addition, the dolphins must immediately be placed back with the other dolphins in the Sea Aquarium. If the dolphins have already been transported to Jeddah, Animal Rights wants the dolphins to be flown back to Curaçao immediately.
The hearing starts on Thursday, June 2 at 2.30 pm.