A representative of FreeMorgan.com recently visited the facility in Harderwijk which are currently holding Morgan, who has grown substantially since she was first captured, and was saddened to find her in a small pool (approx. 10m x 4m) an in about 4m of water.

As soon as one of the trainers came into view Morgan followed him around the tiny tank but most of the time she hung at a dividing fence to the large pool where 8 bottlenose dolphins were performing. When some young children asked the dolphinarium staff “will she go home to her family?”, the response was no. The children were told “we cannot find her family, but hopefully very soon we will find her a new home somewhere around the world where there are other orcas, she cannot survive otherwise.”

Marine Connection director Margaux Dodds comments; “Sadly, this is yet further proof of the PR that the dolphinarium are putting out to the public and another step towards Morgan facing the remainder of her life in a tank; far away from the vast expanse of the ocean she calls home, and we urge everyone to continue to support calls for her to be returned to the ocean where she belongs.”

There is indeed proof that Morgan is from the Norwegian stock of fish eating orcas, if this is the case there is really nothing to stop a rehabilitation and release plan to return her to the wild in that area to be a serious consideration as an alternative to life in a tank. Like Springer before her, there is no reason why, even if Morgan is unable to find her blood family, she is not given the opportunity to join another pod of orcas to live life in the wild.