Two captive beluga whales -- the latest in a long line of casualties of these magnificent mammals kept in tiny, cage-like tanks -- just died tragically in the Vancouver Aquarium.
Aurora and her daughter Qila make six cetaceans associated with the Vancouver Aquarium to die in just the last two years. They were the last two Belugas to be imprisoned in the Stanley Park facility, and devastatingly, it means that of the 12 Belugas who have died in the aquarium since 1976, not a single one has lived even close as long as they would have in the wild.
Vancouver Aquarium calls their deaths “heartbreaking” -- and we definitely agree. But we’d take their orca tears a bit more seriously if they finally followed SeaWorld’s lead last year and did the only thing that would assure the safety of belugas: end the captive whale program now.
Demand that the Vancouver Aquarium ends its whale program for good.
Our incredible, landmark win over SeaWorld was unprecedented. Nearly two million SumOfUs supporters came together with sustained pressure and made the marine park giant do the right thing and end its captive breeding program.
Of course, we had the advantage of the groundbreaking documentary Blackfish -- when the film Vancouver Aquarium Uncovered tried to do the same thing, VanAq slapped them with a huge lawsuit. Did we mention that four belugas owned by the Vancouver Aquarium have been lent to SeaWorld?
Put simply, aquariums kill cetaceans. The reason beluga whales have been such a key attraction to narcissistic amusement facilities like Vancouver Aquarium is because they are brilliant, awesome creatures. That is the same reason they deserve to live the way they were meant: healthy, happy and free in the wild.
Tell the Vancouver Aquarium to give its two dead belugas a fitting tribute: End its whale program today.
More information
Vancouver Aquarium mourns death of beluga Aurora, just days after daughter Qila dies
Vancouver Sun. 26 November 2016.
Vancouver Sun. 26 November 2016.
Aurora, the last beluga at the Vancouver Aquarium, dies after battling stomach problems
Georgia Straight. 26 November 2016.
Georgia Straight. 26 November 2016.