A miracle porpoise called Daisy, who has improved dramatically since being rescued last summer, needs to be returned to the wild, says an animal rights group.
“It’s time the Vancouver Aquarium moved her to a sea pen for a proper rehabilitation program,” said Peter Hamilton, founding director of Lifeforce, yesterday.
“I’m concerned that the aquarium will not return her to the wild. It looks more like they’re training her to perform tricks,” he said.
The harbour porpoise has been held in a small pool at the aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre in Vancouver since being picked up from Gonzales beach in Victoria last August.
In December, Daisy had doubled her weight and was eating whole fish.
But she had become imprinted on humans and officials said it was not clear if she could be released into the wild.
A Free-Daisy slide show has been posted on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-px2wHxDt8