Koen Van Weel / ANP via AFP - Getty Images

An orca named Morgan is lifted into a truck at the Dolphinarium of Harderwijk, the Netherlands, on Nov. 29, 2011, to be transfered to the Loro Parque zoo on the Spanish island of Tenerife.

The AP reports from AMSTERDAM:

A Dutch dolphin park hoisted a young killer whale onto a truck early Tuesday, preparing to transfer her to a Spanish amusement park after conservationists lost a legal battle to have her released into the open sea.

Morgan, a 3,085 pound female orca who is estimated to be about 3 years old, weighed only 880 pounds when she was rescued in shallow waters off the Dutch North Sea coast in June 2010.

The city of Harderwijk issued an emergency ban blocking "Free Morgan" demonstrations during the transfer, though a coalition of conservationists who sought to have her released said they have no plans to interfere in the operation.

"We would never do anything that could endanger Morgan," said coalition spokeswoman Nancy Slot. Read the full story.