It will be a kind of retirement home for elderly cetaceans who have lived in captivity and who will be able to return to experience a bit of freedom. As we know, in fact, after a life between aquatic zoos and aquariums, it is impossible to reintroduce animals to nature and very often, when the elderly and the sick, cetaceans and more are killed.
It will be a kind of retirement home for elderly cetaceans who have lived in captivity and who will be able to return to experience a bit of freedom. As we know, in fact, after a life between aquatic zoos and aquariums, it is impossible to reintroduce animals to nature and very often, when the elderly and the sick, cetaceans and more are killed.
But now a turn for belugas, killer whales and more could come from Whale Sanctuary Project who plans to create a one-of-a-kind marine retirement home in North American waters.
A marine refuge that will offer the opportunity to some cetaceans, long-time prisoners, to spend the last months of their life, swimming in their natural habitat.
The project is led by marine mammal scientists who have been fighting the captivity of belugas and killer whales for years. The reserves will be located in a protected bay or inlet, so that cetaceans that cannot be released or those that need a period of rehabilitation to return to the wild can experience the ocean safely.
All the suffering of cetaceans in captivity:
One of the orcas
One of the orcas from the Russian “Whale Jail” on their way back to the open ocean, rather than toward a life of entertaining humans from inside the walls of a concrete tank. Can you imagine what this orca felt when she swam freely in the open ocean once again? In the biggest rescue and release of captive whales in history, 10 orca and 87 beluga whales illegally captured and confined in cramped sea pens, were returned to their natural habitat and given their lives back. Your contributions to our Whale Aid Russia work helped make this possible. Every donation helps makes a difference. Thank you for your support!Video credit: VNIRO
Posted by The Whale Sanctuary Project on Monday, December 30, 2019
Biologists are evaluating four sites: two in Nova Scotia, one in British Columbia and one in Washington State. The minimum size for a marine sanctuary would be approximately 300 times larger than the average tank in a marine park.
“It will probably start in Nova Scotia. That doesn't mean we're giving up on the west coast. But we have to start somewhere, ”said Lori Marino, a neuroscientist who has been following the project since 2011.
The point, however, is that so far none of the facilities that keep cetaceans in captivity, such as MarineLand Park in Niagara Falls, have agreed to release the animals to stop activities, despite protests from scientists and conservationists.
Posted by The Whale Sanctuary Project on Sunday, November 10, 2019
"SeaWorld habitats and other professionally accredited and certified facilities are the safest known place for marine mammals," SeaWorld San Diego spokesman David Koontz said in a statement. "It would be irresponsible to risk the health of these magnificent animals by physically moving them to an experimental, unproven and dangerous environment."
But Lori Marino thinks differently.
Posted by The Whale Sanctuary Project on Friday, November 8, 2019
"We hope that places like SeaWorld or MarineLand will change their minds because many people are starting to rebel against these parks, they are tired of seeing animals doing stunts."
Read also:
- Leonardo DiCaprio did it! All killer whales and belugas are free from Russian marine prisons
- No, the owner will not release orcas and belugas from Russian prisons
