WDC Blocks Marine Parks from Getting Beluga Whales
The WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) recently sent us an e-mail that may interest you. It looks like they have blocked some marine parks (including SeaWorld, even though the e-mail and the blog post don't specify which of the three parks they are referring to) from receiving some beluga whales that (according to what they posted) were going to be included in different exhibits throughout the aforementioned parks. Here's the e-mail:
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We stopped 18 beluga whales being shipped to US marine parks!
I am delighted to share a success story with you. After a long and hard-fought campaign, the US authorities have said 'no' to requests from US marine parks to import 18 beluga whales from Russia.
These whales were taken from their families in Russian waters between 2006 and 2011, while some of them were just babies and still nursing. They have been held in a sea pen in Russia ever since, awaiting their fate. Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld and The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago wanted to buy them to display in their tanks - but thanks to pressure from WDC and other organisations, and an incredible response from the public, the US authorities have denied their request.
... We rallied 65 international conservation and animal welfare organisations to support our call not to send these intelligent and wide-ranging whales to a life confined in a tank. We testified in opposition to the permit at a public hearing. We co-ordinated public opposition and met face to face with the various agencies involved in the decision.
In the picture you can see the belugas in the Russian sea pen - although these poor whales are spared a future in a show pool for now, they are still held captive in Russia. We are calling for their rehabilitation and release back into the wild where they belong, provided they are safe from re-capture. So, we will be calling on the Russian government to stop the cruel practice of capturing whales in their waters. [...]
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Are SeaWorld's troubles going to increase in the near future? After this, the very unfortunate accident that involved Dawn Brancheau back in 2010, and the new Blackfish documentary, it looks like SeaWorld Parks are getting some very bad publicity on all fronts. We certainly don't want to take sides, but we sure hope that SeaWorld will be able to get through these difficult times, in a way or another. What do you think?
So, instead of having the whales transferred to wildlife parks where they will be displayed and cared for, they are dooming them to a life of captivity in a Russian sea pen?
ReplyDeleteThis is great to hear. The more these oppositions occur the closer we come to the fall of marine mammal parks. Too many people get caught up in the glitz and glamour of the parks and do not realise the true suffering of these mammals. The way the whales, dolphins and sea lions are kept in these tiny pools and forced into a life of performing stunts which they would never naturally do is clear animal cruelty. I for one am pleased to hear that the Whale and Dolphin Conservation society have been able to take such positive action.
ReplyDeleteAll animals in captivity at a zoo or aquarium serve a very important purpose: education and outreach. Yes, these animals are not meant to live their lives confined to a tank or cage but they are giving this up for the greater good of their species. People and children who build a connection and memory with these species are more like to care about what is happening to them in the wild. Without this they could very well just go on with their lives to the next distraction that their smartphone, computer, or video game gives them.
ReplyDeleteZoos and aquariums provide this connection for people who cannot afford or are not able to travel and see these beautiful species in the wild. Its these experiences that give children the inspiration to change the world and care for the wildlife that exist beyond what they see and know.
I agree in part with EcologistEducator. It is important to have a munber of any species in captivity for conservation / research purposes
ReplyDeleteHowever, Seaworld (and probably other marine parks) already have captive beluga whales on display - surely they should be breeding these whales to provide more for display / research purposes, not trying to import ones captured in the wild which, although no doubt an easier option for the parks, destroys much of the reasoning for keeping whales in captivity in the 1st place