Russian authorities have ordered the release of nearly 100 captive beluga and orca whales, following months of public outrage and activism.
The public first gained access to photographs of the cruel, cramped conditions at the ‘whale prison’ last November when drone footage of the facility made headlines. At the time, 90 beluga whales and 12 orca whales were confined to the jail’s tiny cages — and most are still there.
In an interview with the Associated Press, activist Nina Zyryanova described the cramped confines the whales have been forced to endure, adding: “Although these animals are native to the Arctic, they must move, [a] hundred kilometers a day, to stay warm.”
Animal rights advocates worked tirelessly to convince Russian authorities to free the whales. Lady Freethinker was a voice in the protest. Our petition to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak garnered over 20,000 signatures:
Celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio and Pamela Anderson used their influence to support the cause. On February 24, Anderson posted an open letter to President Vladimir Putin on her website, urging him to release the whales.
The widespread efforts caught the attention of the president, and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reported that Putin personally intervened.
Four companies were charged by Russian officials for violating a worldwide ban on commercial whale hunting that has been in effect since 1982, which only allows the capture of whales for certain scientific and educational purposes. The companies are suspected to have caught the whales for sale to China’s growing amusement park industry, where one whale sells for up to $6 million.
Authorities are currently determining the safest way to release the whales. Representatives from Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources recently met to discuss the matter and agreed the whales should be returned to their natural environment.
What’s New…
Simply let them go!
Thank you 🙏
UPDATE: Tue 12th March 2019
Scientists To Keep Orcas, Belugas In Russia’s ‘Whale Jail’ For 3-4 Months – Official
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/scientists-to-keep-orcas-belugas-in-russias-569210.html
Captive orcas and belugas will remain in crowded enclosures in Srednyaya Bay in Russia’s Far East for three or four more months and scientists will investigate the aquatic animals’ condition, Director of the Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) Kirill Kolonchin said on Tuesday
If people DO NOT GO TO THESE ZOOS, there will not be any zoos! Demand it.
So glad to hear these innocent animals are being released back in the wild where they belong. Someone needs to go after the market in China and stop the demand for these beautiful creatures
Thank you to activists and Russian government.
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Now its time for SeaWorld to let their whales out of their prisons.
Please release & free them.
Very disturbing to know there are hidious humans who are cruel and abusive. People with a caring heart should have there rights not to hear and see the horror hidious human inflict on animals. Animals deserve a good life who are humans to subject animals to live in hell, sick minded people should be locked up and no access to animals.
Let’s hope Russia follows through on this.
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Free all the beluga and Orca. Please !
Thank you!
Leonardo & Pamela, the president of Russia & usa.
I hope they follow through
good luck & many years of freedom to these whales. NO MAN HAS THE RIGHT TO STEAL THESE ANIMALS FROM THEIR HOME & MAKE THEM PERFORM FOR HUMAN GREED! THIS STEALING OF OCEAN LIFE MUST BE MADE ILLEGAL!
Hard to understand a heart that could walk away from this tragedy…smile
Abuse on wildlife and neglect stronger laws nations need to step up.
We’ll save our rejoicing for the moment we actually see their release. We’re waiting…
Good. Glad the campaign has been successful.
WHALES belong in their natural habitat OR in a Sanctuary which mimics their natural habitat — exploiting and abusing them is a DEATH sentence — whales do NOT belong in amusement parks — DO NOT SEND WHALES TO CHINA — NOT everything is for sale — we MUST protect our animals from those evil-doers who seek to do them harm.
Awesome news!!!
Thank goodness these belugas and killer whales are finally being released because if they stayed in this area too long they would have died and that would have been bad and whoever put them in there must be ashamed of themselves.
Just so long as they are not released to the Chinese.
So true, Timothy, so true. We all know how the Chinese don’t value the lives and safety of animals, so these poor animals would become another one of their sick “delicacies”.
Thank you Russia
Please keep this up and not let whale captivity in any form happen ever again
I will rejoice when they are actually released. But I agree this is a step in thr right direction. 🐋🐳
How are these whales still alive? The pictures make it look impossible to endure something like that!! Thank God for drones!!! Who knows how long they would have lived or died if it wasn’t for drones and social media these days.
WELL THAT’S ONE GOOD THING HAPPENING. THANKS TO ALL THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO SIGNED TO RELEASE. IT IS VERY SAD WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR NOTHING BUT PURE GREED. THESE HORRIFIC AHOLES DESERVE NOTHING SHORT OF IMPRISONMENT.
I am anxious to see photos/video of the animals actually being released. Then I can rejoice.