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 Editorials | Environmental | May 2007 
Battle Brews Over Baby Killer Whale Beached in Mexico
 Associated Press
Despite all the hard work of all the staff and volunteers at Dolphin Adventures, Pascuala unfortunately passed away on June 10th 2007.
| | Angie Gyllenhammer of Vallarta Adventures in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, prepares to swim with the month-old, orphaned killer whale known as Pascuala. (Reuters) | 
| | Angie Gyllenhammer swims with Pascuala at the Vallarta Adventure park in Nuevo Vallarta. (Reuters) |
Nuevo Vallarta Environmentalists said Friday a baby killer whale that beached itself last month should not be sent to a U.S. aquatic park, arguing it could set a precedent that might encourage marine animal trafficking.
A tug-of-war between a Mexican marine park, environmental groups and the government has emerged over Pasqualita, an 8-foot female orca being nursed back to health after she was found along the Pacific coast.
Aquarium officials want to transfer Pasqualita to the Sea World park in San Diego, California, after she recovers.
But environmental group Greenpeace said the orca should be returned to the sea, rather than sent north of the border.
This would set a new precedent that would show how easy it is to capture a marine animal and commercialize it, said Alejandro Olivera, head of ocean campaigns for Greenpeace in Mexico.
Mexican law bars wildlife from leaving the country, but Olivera said other Latin American countries have been caught trapping, pretending to rehabilitate and then sending animals to U.S. marine parks, and worries that the practice might become common here.
Mexico's Environment Department said that for now the orca would remain in the Dolphin Adventure park in Nueva Vallarta.
Pasqualita was found near San Blas in the western Mexican state of Nayarit.
Visitors have flocked to see the baby and hundreds check a blog set up in her name (http://orcapascuala.blogspot.com), where videos, photos and testimonials detail her meals, swimming lessons and attempts to play with nearby dolphins. |
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