Sad Death Of Newborn Captive Beluga No Surprise
WDCS is saddened, but not surprised, by the death of a newborn beluga at the Georgia Aquarium in the US. No sooner had the aquarium announced the birth of the newborn female beluga to first-time mother Maris, they were announcing her death just five days later.
The Georgia Aquarium currently has four beluga whales, and with this unsuccessful attempt at captive breeding, WDCS remains concerned that the aquarium will seek belugas from other facilities, or the wild.
WDCS opposes whales and dolphins in captivity, and encourages all facilities to phase out their whale and dolphin exhibits to end the suffering that occurs throughout the process of captivity, from capture and transport, to captive breeding and premature death. WDCS applauds Ocean Park Hong Kong’s recent decision to not import beluga whales for a new polar exhibit, and hopes that the Georgia Aquarium can look to Ocean Park as an example, and work towards phasing out its beluga programme.
