GA Aquarium will no longer collect wild belugas.
There has always been a reason for concern regarding wild animals, such as belugas, taken away from their home environment and brought in zoo facilities and aquariums.
Animal rights activists from around the world have taken active measures to stop these organizations from making money just by putting these animals on display. Therefore, Georgia Aquarium announced that it would no longer collect belugas and wild dolphins.
According to Mike Leven, Georgia Aquarium CEO, the four belugas living in the GA were bred in United States aquariums, so they were not taken from the wild. In addition to this, they hope to have their first calf this year, even if several previous attempts failed.
After a fierce battle in court, which was very costly, Leven confessed that the GA gave up trying to collect a few more specimens from Russian waters. He added that nowadays is almost impossible to bring any other wild dolphins and belugas in aquariums.
However, the two male and two female belugas will still be on display for visitors. Three of them were brought from other U.S. aquariums hoping to breed. In other words, officials hope that the facility will soon have another specimen on display.
According to Martha Brock, animal rights activist, it is great that wild dolphins and belugas will no longer be brought in United States aquariums. Nevertheless, she stated that it is not fair for these animals to be born in these facilities because it is not their natural environment and it is for the wrong purpose.
In addition to this, Brock underlined that it was unethical to breed belugas for profit and to put these animals on display. Furthermore, in her perspective, these actions are acts of arrogance.
The GA decision to stop trying to collect wild belugas and dolphins is not the only step towards this initiative. A British documentary will soon be released with the theme of whales captured in Russia to be brought in the United States aquariums.
This documentary will raise awareness about the real situation of these animals which are taken away from their native environment to live in facilities that could never be a home for them.
Leven also stated that GA plans to move the four belugas in another aquarium outside the United States. Hopefully, animals freedom will be encouraged, and zoo facilities and aquariums will stop capturing wild animals just to put them on display.
Image Source:Wikipedia
