After years of controversy, wild animals will soon no longer have their place in fur farms, traveling circuses or dolphinariums in France.
Barbara Pompili, the Minister of the Environment, demanded this Tuesday, September 29, the opening of "a new era" for this fauna in the aptly named Salon des Eagles of the ministry.
In detail, the number two of the government announced that the presentation of wild animals in traveling circuses would be gradually banned in France, without any date being set.
No more hippopotamus, elephant or wild animal.
But the riders will be able to continue to hover on the backs of horses, considered as domestic animals.
Nothing is planned, however, for the sedentary circuses and the tigers of Fort Boyard who will continue to roar in front of the cameras.
Because it is the conditions of transport of these animals which are targeted by the measure.
VIDEO. Pompili announces the "progressive end" of wild animals in traveling circuses
The zoos, for their part, come out strengthened, they will be helped to improve their cages and become places of education and science on wild life.
On the other hand, the reproduction and the introduction of new killer whales and dolphins in dolphinariums will be prohibited in order to end the detention of these marine mammals within a period of "seven to ten years".
Finally, the Minister announced in the wake of the closure of the last four French farms of American mink for their fur within five years.
A victory for associations
“The champagne corks are popping,” the anti-fur NGO Peta France exclaimed in a statement.
"A huge thank you", adds the Brigitte Bardot Foundation.
“It's a very beautiful day!
», Rejoices Florian Sigronde, president of the association C'est enough, which has been campaigning for years for the closure of the three French dolphinariums.
He salutes the "coherent and courageous" minister who already supported the prohibition of reproduction five years ago when she was secretary of state for biodiversity.
The shock campaigns of associations against suffering in dolphinariums or in circuses are bearing fruit.
The fate of these wild animals gradually imposed itself on the political agenda, until the shared initiative referendum (RIP) on animals supported by more than 750,000 Internet users and 141 parliamentarians.
“It probably served as a trigger,” notes Samantha Cazebonne, Member of Parliament (LREM) for French people living abroad and vice-president of the animal condition study group at the National Assembly.
While these priority issues have been advancing for years, today we are turning a corner.
"
The movement seems global: around twenty European countries have already banned tigers or bears on the star trail.
According to the minister, in France, 400 communities have already banned circuses that offer training numbers for wild animals.
“When we show tigers under the marquees, we have to think that these animals got stuck in overheated sheet metal trucks at + 50 ° C, indignant Muriel Arnal, the president of the One Voice association.
We brought three lions out of this hell again this summer.
We need a timetable and fast.
And animals like the Jumbo hippopotamus, which One Voice would like to exfiltrate from its circus, how long will they stay in unworthy conditions?
"
A scandal for professionals
Conversely, the ads make professionals cringe.
Even when the government promises to put eight million euros on the table for the reconversion of the traveling circuses and the personnel of the three dolphinariums of the country.
A “ridiculous” envelope, according to the general manager of Marineland d'Antibes (Alpes-Maritimes), Pascal Picot, who denounces the fact that there has been “no consultation”.
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Circassians, already very weakened by the Covid-19 crisis, fear for their survival.
“The Minister wants to study the fate of animals that will leave the tracks on a case-by-case basis.
It will be necessary to do the same for each person who works in itinerant circuses, nobody should remain on the floor ”, points Yannis Jean, of the Syndicate of the circuses and companies of creation, a union of the contemporary circus, relatively little concerned with the training.
VIDEO. End of wild animals in traveling circuses: "It's the coup de grace"
“It's just scandalous!
»Denounces Frédéric Edelstein, trainer and former director of the Pinder circus, who estimates that around 300 families live with their animals in France.
“People are waiting for the caravan when we arrive and the animal shows are sold out.
There is no social movement, but an extremist minority who are saying false things.
It's like those who attack the Tour de France!
»Indignant the Circassian.
He promises to "fight with the whole profession" so that his lions are not taken from him.
