Announcements but also sometimes vagueness on the calendar and the terms of application.
Speaking of a
"major turning point"
, the Minister of Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, announced on Tuesday the gradual end of wild animals in traveling circuses but also the end of dolphinariums and the breeding of American mink for their fur.
By affirming that these circuses will be supported in their conversion, the politician hopes that their shows will take place in the years to come without beasts or elephants.
Even if Barbara Pompili made it clear that she was not hostile to the circus world and that she still wanted to see the big tops stand in the cities, this announcement was not well received.
It is simply equivalent to the killing of an entire profession, assures Frédéric Edelstein, tamer of wild animals.
“People want to see our animals.
Without them, they will not come.
So we will fight against these measures which affect 300 families in France, ”
he warns.
Read also:
End of wild animals in circuses: Paris is advancing, the Élysée is temporizing
Wishful thinking
On the side of the Association for the Defense of Family Circuses, there is greater serenity.
According to its general delegate, Cyrille Emery, the 180 circuses in France which together have 500 wild animals, six elephants and two hippos, have nothing to worry about.
"There is nothing on the modalities of application of these announcements"
, he indicates, estimating that all this will be wishful thinking.
He also believes that the State will encounter a major difficulty if it tries to apply the measures.
What to do with the 500 beasts, which after their captivity, cannot be released into the wild?
For him, the government will end up with all these animals on its hands ...
"Solutions will be found on a case-by-case basis, with each circus,"
said the minister for her part.
The problem will arise for the four orcas in France.
The waters of our seas do not suit them and they could unfortunately join a dolphinarium abroad
Christine Grandjean, member of the C'est Assez!
Concerning the dolphinariums, three in number on our soil, Barbara Pompili provided more precise indications.
By indicating that the reproduction and the introduction of new orcas and dolphins will be prohibited in France, she specified that no other structure of this type will be able to emerge.
And it is in the seven to ten years that a solution of reception will have to be found for the 29 dolphins distributed in the three dolphinariums.
“The problem will arise for the four orcas in France.
The waters of our seas do not suit them and they could unfortunately join a dolphinarium abroad ”
, regrets Christine Grandjean of the association C'est Assez!
who nonetheless welcomes these announcements.
Conversely, the latter are rejected by park officials.
This is the case of Pascal Picot, the director of Marineland who considered
"ridiculous"
the 8 million announced by the State to help the reconversion of all these establishments, circuses included.
Finally, the Minister announced
"within five years"
the end of the breeding of American mink for their fur.
A decision hailed by many associations which for some did not hesitate to speak of
"historic victory"
.