A group of individuals gathered in Tenerife on Saturday at the entrance of Loro Parque, located in Puerto de La Cruz, chanting “no more exploitation of animals”. The demonstrators carried banners with messages such as “those born to swim in the oceans should not shed tears,” “happiness is not found in slavery, don’t deceive your child” and “stop animal cruelty”. This protest led by ‘Empty the Tanks’ has been organised in various cities to demand the liberation of dolphins and orcas.
The crowd that gathered on Saturday morning jeered at the Loro Parque train as it neared the premises. Signs with phrases like “tourists, your money supports the mistreatment of orcas” and “the atrocities at Loro Park will come to an end” were prominently displayed.
This demonstration follows the release of a controversial video at the end of April by the owner of Loro Parque criticising environmental activists. Wolfgang Kiessling stated, “They advocate for a vegan lifestyle, oppose pet ownership, condemn the use of leather products like bags and shoes, and even discourage visits to zoos during holidays”.
Kiessling accused a growing group of individuals of posing as environmentalists solely for monetary gain. He condemned their desire to alter societal norms, emphasising their push for veganism, avoidance of wool and milk, rejection of horseback riding, opposition to pet ownership, and aversion to zoos.
Kiessling is the public face of a venture thathas received substantial subsidies from the Canary Islands government, benefiting from tax incentives like the Canary Islands Investment Reserve (RIC). This tool enables profits to be taxed at a rate of only 10% provided the profits are reinvested within five years. Recent years have seen instances of conflicts of interest, such as that of Ricardo Melchior (Canary Coalition), who was sanctioned and disqualified for violating incompatibility laws by joining Loro Parque.
The release of this video by the Loro Parque owner coincided with large-scale demonstrations across the islands protesting the current tourism model in the Canary Islands and advocating for a more sustainable future for the archipelago.
It should be noted that environmental and animal welfare organisations have long been raising concerns about the conditions of the orcas and dolphins at Loro Parque.
