|
In another letter yesterday, this time from the Foundation
to Oddsson, the Foundation wrote: "We look forward to your
being with us on this adventure which will certainly receive
worldwide attention and admiration."
The return of Keiko will surely provide a field day for the
world's media, with abundant opportunities for Oddsson to
share the spotlight. However, Oddsson insists that the
Foundation "bears all costs." No problem, says the
Foundation; "this is not a small nor inexpensive undertaking, but ... it will be fully funded and
accomplished without the need for Icelandic governmental
assistance."
There will be no resistance to the move from Iceland's Chief
Veterinary Officer either, who this Monday submitted an
opinion to the Ministry of Agriculture giving Keiko a clean
bill of health.
Yet in 1992, a similar request from Sea World in San Diego
to return the captive killer whale Tilikum to Iceland was
turned down, and it was made clear at the time that no
future requests would receive authorisation either.
The case of Tilikum was considered by Icelandic officials at
the Ministries of Fisheries, Foreign Affairs, Environment,
and Agriculture, including the Chief Veterinary Officer and
scientists at the Marine Research Institute, which then
advised Fisheries Minister Thorsteinn Palsson.
In a memorandum to Palsson on 27 April 1992, the Marine
Research Institute wrote that "it should be pointed out that
in general, transfer of animals from one geographical area
(or ecosystem) to another is of major concern within the
marine sciences, particularly in relation to mariculture.
The principal reason for this is the unknown consequences an
introduction of new or 'foreign' organisms into a ecosystem
can have on the system in general. In the present case, the
question we have before us is whether it is wise to
introduce a marine mammal from the North Pacific into
Icelandic waters. Although such a transfer may not
necessarily prove harmful to the environment, we simply
don't know and probably will never know. It is also
difficult to see a way to eliminate the risk such transfer
evidently will have, because even microorganisms, which may
be harmless in their original environment, may have serious
effects when introduced to a new environment." In
conclusion, the Marine Research Institute said that "a
transfer of the killer whale in question seems not to be
advisable when considering ... the potential consequences of
the introduction of the animal into the marine environment
off Iceland."
Based on this advice, amongst others, on 7 May 1992 Palsson
wrote to Sea World: "It is evident the animal may carry
diseases that are both undetectable and alien to killer
whales and other animal populations in Icelandic waters.
Therefore, the return of the animal would entail
unquantifiable and unavoidable risks, which we are not
willing to accept. (...) The factors that render the return
of the killer whale, Tilikum, infeasible would apply to
other killer whales that have been maintained in captivity
outside of Iceland. Consequently, this Ministry and the
other interested Ministries have concluded that neither the
return of this killer whale, nor the return of others now in
captivity, will be authorised."
And yet six years later Keiko is about to receive treatment
denied to Tilikum, despite the fact that their cases are
essentially identical.
"Obviously Prime Minister Oddsson and Fisheries Minister
Palsson have very different views of the risks they can
subject Iceland's fishing grounds to," says Rune Frøvik,
secretary of the High North Alliance, to the High North Web
News. "It is hard to see how a Fisheries Minister committed
to safeguarding the lifeblood of his nation's economy can
continue to serve under a Prime Minister more interested in
adventure."
But Oddsson has the final say, and has taken a personal
interest in Keiko. He has met with Foundation
representatives three times in the last seven months, the
most recent meeting being yesterday.
"This isn't about one whale," said Bob Ratliffe, executive
director of the Foundation, to the Associated Press today.
"It's about keeping a promise we made to children around the
world. We are going to show them dreams can come true."
But Brad Andrews of Sea World, who asked Iceland in 1992
about the possible return of Tilikum, disagrees. "We've been
misleading these schoolchildren all these years; maybe now's
the time to start telling them the truth: that they should
find a companion for him and keep him where he's at," he
told the Associated Press.
|
