Orca Morgan decision in two weeks

The orca Morgan must remain in the Netherlands for at least another two weeks pending another court ruling on her future, a judge in Amsterdam said on Monday.


The orca, found in a weakened state in the Wadden Sea in June 2010, has been at the Harderwijk Dolfinarium ever since. Earlier this year, the centre reached a deal to transfer Morgan to an amusement part on the Spanish island of Tenerife.
Animal rights groups are opposed to the move and are taking legal action against it. They argue the orca should be released into the wild and say there is a good chance members of her family have been identified.
Transfer
On Monday, the Dolfinarium went to court to speed up the animal’s transfer to the amusement park.
During the hearing, it emerged the Dolfinarium is swapping Morgan for a number of dolphins. The park has also agreed to pay €100,000 to the Spanish centre because the cost of taking care of her will not pay for itself, news agency ANP said.
The judge hearing the case criticised the agreement between the Dolfinarium in Harderwijk and Loro Parque, saying is not sufficiently transparent and is ‘hanging over the case like a cloud’.
Five questions about Morgan the orca

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