Loro Parque ...

[El Profesor]

Here's an interesting thing ... LP has released a statement, and I'm hanged if I can unravel their meaning! It's obviously cleverly worded ...

* we abide by Seaworld's decisions because the orcas are theirs;
* they say no breeding programme;
* we also abide by the EU's decisions because we're in the EU;
* the EU insist that breeding is a right of all creatures;
* we're educators first and foremost, and will be incorporating the changes following the guidelines that SeaWorld will be establishing in the United States
* we will not adopt any decision that would contradict the principles of well-being or jeopardize the conditions in which the group of orcas finds themselves in its facilities.
* Any decision will always be implemented in full compliance with the European Community legislation and with the knowledge and concurrence from the competent authorities

seems to me they're saying we'll abide by SW's no breeding programme AND the EU's insistence on the right to breed.

Normally when something is so carefully worded as to be this meaningless, summat's up ...

HERE is the statement, and there's a toggle top right to change languages.

I understand it as, "we're letting ours breed because Spanish and European law says it is their right, however, some of our killer whales belong to Seaworld so we will have to stop the shows and do what they do." - This is because everybody hates them and worldwide public opinion has brought them to their knees . . . . but it doesn't say that.

[Janet]

That is my reading too ...

that the shows are stopping ...

[canarybird]

Coming from the Canadian west coast and having seen orcas in the wild I was shocked when Loro Parque first introduced them as entertainment.

Such enormous sea creatures belong in the ocean so I hope they will be eliminated totally from Loro Parque's programmes.

is how they are meant to live.

[canarybird]

OOps didn't get that linked to the word "Here"....need to practice.

[Perikles]

Such enormous sea creatures belong in the ocean so I hope they will be eliminated totally from Loro Parque's programmes.

They say that according to Spanish law, it is illegal to keep animals without allowing them to breed. You can torture bulls to death  because that is part of Spanish "cultural tradition" but you can't keep orcas without allowing them to breed. Sounds like a specious argument to me.

Bollox - what Prof said above

[Nova]

OOps didn't get that linked to the word "Here"....need to practice.

You did the link bit fine, it's just that videos from YouTube and several other sources automatically embed when you paste the link 

[Janet]

Whatever the controversies over the dolphins and orcas, the Loro Parque foundation has done enormous good for environmental purposes, especially when it comes to birds, some species of which it has saved from extinction. And one particular species of bird has found an amazing home in the park, where the penguinarium hosts the largest colony of penguins outside Antarctica in an environment that offers real snow and a huge iceberg in facilities that are considered the best human reproduction of the natural living conditions of these curious and amusing animals.

The park has released the following video of how a real winter has arrived at Planet Penguin even as Tenerife experiences mid-summer.  Loro Parque says that the penguins "find themselves in a significantly darker environment with lower temperatures as dim light perfectly recreates the Antarctic winter season for these animals that receive the best care by their keepers. A perfect example to it is that penguins voluntarily collaborate with the veterinarians of Loro Parque who control their weight and conduct the corresponding analysis."

I am one who wishes there was no seaworld connection for what is, in my opinion, a fantastic park which carries out ground-breaking and environmentally-priceless work ... so please let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to criticism.

This is just really lovey ...

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

As someone who has to struggle to get her dogs on the scales at the vet's,  I am most impressed with the little penguin.

[Perikles]

As someone who has to struggle to get her dogs on the scales at the vet's,  I am most impressed with the little penguin.

One of the funniest memories of my past is the scene when my brother had to weigh his alsatian.  I wept.

But getting back to the cuteness of penguins, one here has been promoted to brigadier: Note the "sod the medal, where's my fish?" moment.

[Nova]

I love the penguins!!  I'd go back to Loro Parque just to see them again