The opening is imminent. “We are only waiting for the publication of administrative documents by the prefecture”, confirms Lamya Essemlali. In the next few days, Sea Shepherd will inaugurate its first animal care center in the world in central Brittany. Located in the town of Kernascléden (Morbihan), half an hour north of Lorient, the structure will be set up on 16 hectares of land recently acquired by the French branch of the association.
Specialized in the defense of the oceans, the NGO, founded in 1977 by the Canadian activist Paul Watson, will welcome injured marine animals such as seals or birds. But the care center will also serve as a refuge for birds of prey, bats, foxes and deer. “Our certificate of competence covers all the wildlife of Brittany”, specifies Lamya Essemlali.
The saturation of animal care centers
In the pipeline for a year and a half, this project was able to see the light of day thanks to a colossal donation of 2.5 million euros received during the last online charity marathon Z Event. “The rest of the money allowed us to buy a new boat which will start patrolling the sea in July”, underlines the president of Sea Shepherd France. With its health center, the NGO accustomed to punch actions therefore adds a new string to its bow.
A new mission made compulsory by the saturation of care centers for wild animals already established in the region. “We receive a lot of calls from people who have found injured animals and who are distraught because no center can accommodate them,” says Lamya Essemlali. It’s a dramatic situation and this is unfortunately the case throughout the territory. »
A marine animal first aid training project
In its Breton Noah’s Ark, Sea Shepherd will have a swimming pool for seals, basins and aviaries for birds as well as a clinic to treat the animals collected. The place will operate with two full-time employees but will be able to rely on the large network woven by Sea Shepherd in the region. “We can count on the help of veterinarians, trainers but also the local population with volunteer sites that will be organized,” explains the environmental activist. “Precursor and of international scope”, the center, which has thirty accommodation places, will also welcome Sea Shepherd volunteers from all over the world who will come to train in first aid for wild animals.
In this same logic of learning lifesaving gestures, Sea Shepherd is also trying to set up first aid training for marine animals. “We have just returned from Great Britain where they are twenty ahead of us, underlines Lamya Essemlali. In France, we are in the Stone Age and we saw it clearly during the beluga whale rescue operation in the Seine. Even the firefighters on site were not trained for this type of intervention. According to the president of Sea Shepherd France, initial contacts have already been established in this direction with the Ministry of the Sea.