France has banned the breeding of dolphins and killer whales in captivity, and animal rights activists have called the move a major victory, the BBC reports.
The government also banned the keeping of all whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity, except for killer whales and bottlenose dolphins that are already in captivity, reports Hina.
The Association of French Zoos complained that no one consulted them about this ban.
However, animal rights activists say the decision represents "historic progress for France".
The ban should eventually lead to the end of "sea circuses" in the country, according to a joint statement by five wildlife conservation groups.
Environment Minister Segolene Royal first signed a version of the law on Wednesday, but decided to further tighten the rules and ban captive breeding altogether after discovering that "some animals were drugged" in aquariums, the ministry told AFP.
The new rules also prohibit direct contact between animals and the public, including swimming with dolphins, and stipulate that the pools housing the animals must be much larger.
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