Lolita Update #128
Meet the IMADA
September 16, 2011

The International Animal Defenders Association

The International Marine Animal Defenders Association (IMADA) is a coalition of individuals and organizations that defend marine animals from capture, captivity, abuse, and neglect. IMADA is not any ONE organization; it is a platform to build a coalition of groups and individuals to present a united front, especially in Miami when IMATA comes to town. ALL ideas, initiative, activities, individuals and groups are welcome.

In September 2011, the International Marine Animals Trainers' Association (IMATA) is holding their annual conference in Miami, hosted by the Miami Seaquarium. Quoting from the IMATA website: "IMATA recognizes its role and responsibilities to the continued existence of oceanaria, aquaria, and laboratories housing marine mammals." IMADA is a shadow organization of IMATA and will host a series of shadow events to correspond with the IMATA conference.

You too can SPEAK OUT against the imprisonment of captive marine mammals everywhere! To find demonstrations and rallies in cities around the world! for all the whales and dolphins in captivity, go to the International IMATA/IMADA Rally Against Marine Mammal Captivity Everywhere

In Miami, Protest the International Marine Animal Trainers Association (IMATA), hosted by Miami Seaquarium, and support the International Marine Animal Defenders (IMADA) as we rally outside MSQ against marine mammal captivity everywhere.

For those in the Pacific Northwest we hope you can attend the Seattle IMADA Protest for Lolita and Captive Cetaceans Everywhere, Saturday, September 24 · 12:00pm - 2:00pm, Victor Steinbrueck Park (next to Pike Place Market) 2001 Western Ave, Seattle.

For those in the Bay Area , please join the Rally for Lolita & Against Entertainment Captivity Everywhere Sunday, September 18 · 12:00pm - 3:00pm Union Square, San Francisco, CA

Here are some great Posters for the International Marine Animal Defenders Association 1st International IMADA 'Shadow' Conference, Miami FL Sept. 17 - 23, 2011

Other events in Miami include an evening with Pete Bethune and producer/director Theresa Demerast at the Florida premiere of "Keiko, the Untold Story" Sept 21, 6 and 8 pm at O-Cinema, Miami FL - Tickets include question/answer session, reception, silent auction, and signed Tshirts and books.

Leah Lemieux is set to host a special screening of The Cove in Vancouver, BC next Thursday (September 22) for a free screening of the film at SFU Harbour Centre at 6:30 p.m. to uncover the nefarious connections between captive whale and dolphin shows and the Japanese dolphin drives and slaughters.

The story of Luna, the young, lost orca who settled in a remote cove in British Columbia and was nearly sent to a marine theme park, is told with caring intimacy in The Whale, produced and directed by Suzanne Chisolm and Michael Parfit.The Whale is playing now in Seattle and Tacoma, and will debut soon in New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC. and many other cities nationwide in coming months, especially if people call their local theaters to request them to show this touching, through-provoking film.

Morgan still in dolphin tank while Dutch Ministry struggles for an answer.

Morgan, a young wild orca, currently being held in captivity in the Netherlands, may go to an infamous marine circus in Spain, or she may be returned to her home waters in the fjords of Norway. Members of her extended family have been found repeatedly close to shore in Norwegian waters.

In late June, 2010, a young orca was seen in the Wadden Sea, off the coast of the Netherlands. The little orca appeared to be ill, so she was captured and brought to the Harderwijk Dolfinarium, a captive facility about an hour from Amsterdam. She was named Morgan. For the past year, she has been living in a small tank at the dolphinarium. She is currently on display, where visitors can see her every afternoon - an interesting experience for visitors, but for Morgan, it's like living in a prison.

The Dutch government permitted her capture on the basis that she would be rehabilitated and then released back to the wild. On December 10, 2010, the dolphinarium announced that she would not be returned to the wild.

The legal battles in Morgan's convoluted path back to her home waters have been argued by the Orka Coalitie (Orca Coalition). At that website they tell the whole story of evasion and deception by the Dolphinarium and they present the legal arguments formulated by a wide range of international experts in orca natural history and veteran campaigners for captive cetaceans. On September 5th, the court in Holland put a hold on the CITES permit already granted to the Dolphinarium to send Morgan to Spain, and said that the release plan proposed by the Free Morgan group of international experts should be further developed and all details should be filled in before serious consideration could be taken. The judge's ruling provides a short time for the group to convince the Ministry to allow Morgan's resettlement in a bay pen in Norway.

A wonderful PSA all about Morgan can be seen at the Free Morgan website - orca netherlands - orka Nederland.

Please click on the donation buttons on either or both of these websites, to send money to help cover expenses for the legal efforts by the Orka Coalitie and to help Ingrid Visser and the Free Morgan Coalition continue to advocate for Morgan before the Ministry.

This may well be a last chance for Morgan to avoid permanent captivity. Sea World wants to expand its genetic "breeding" pool.

To calculate the amount in US dollars, you can go to:

Currency Converter - Yahoo! Finance. A 50 Euro donation is $72.67 USD.

Much is going on to help bring Lolita home and to inform and advocate for her and her family Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to help Orca Network continue this work. Thank you!