The Flemish Minister of Animal Welfare, Ben Weyts (N-VA), is investigating a possible ban on taking photos and cuddling with dolphins at the Boudewijn Seapark due to concerns over animal stress.
Currently, such interactions are allowed under the guise of "educational purposes".
However, Weyts and members of the Flemish Animal Welfare Committee raised concerns on Wednesday about the negative impact on the dolphins’ well-being.
The Boudewijn Seapark, the only place in Flanders where six dolphins remain in captivity, is already slated to close by 2037.
"Close contact with dolphins, where the animals are touched or used for photos, is far from ideal," said Gianna Werbrouck, a parliament member for Vooruit.
Sofie Joosen (N-VA) also questioned the educational value of such interactions, calling it "relatively minor". Opposition member Nadia Naji (Groen) echoed these sentiments, saying, "It’s only logical to ban this."
"Dolphins are not cuddly toys", stated Minister Weyts. He pointed out that existing regulations allow loopholes for "educational purposes", which, he noted, can be misused as a pretext for promoting close physical interaction.
Weyts has directed his department to reassess the regulations and suggested that a decree might be introduced as an interim measure before the dolphinarium’s permanent closure.
