Cetacean Conscription

“According to media reports from Russia, captured beluga whales are to be used to guard naval bases, assist military divers and help kill enemy intruders. … The beluga’s highly sensitive sonar capability made them potentially suitable for guarding the waters around the entrances to naval facilities.” http://uk.whales.org/news/2017/06/captured-beluga-whales-forced-into-military-service

Since they’re already white, is it possible that Beluga whales are concetaceaous objectors?


Blogger Whales

“The depleted designation makes it illegal to import any belugas from this population into the United States for public display … ‘This final decision puts the United States solidly on the high ground in future collaborative efforts to provide additional protections for these beleaguered whales.'” (http://uk.whales.org/news/2016/10/nmfs-designation-of-russian-beluga-whales-depleted-makes-their-import-into-us-illegal)

The US is on shakier ground with the species name.


Georgia “Aquarium had been trying to overturn a US federal decision which initially denied its request to import 18 [beluga] whales captured in Sea of Okhotsk, Russia. … That original refusal to allow a permit has now been upheld and delivers a significant blow to the captivity industry in the US.” (http://uk.whales.org/news/2015/09/us-aquarium-loses-court-battle-to-import-beluga-whales)

Thus leaving the captivity industry looking rather like a blow hole.

Beluga Wail

“[Georgia] aquarium argues introducing new belugas into the captive population in the US would diversify the gene pool, make the population more stable and broaden the database of research on belugas’ needs and capabilities. … ‘If we don’t win here, the population of belugas in human care in North America would eventually cease to exist,’ [a Georgia Aquarium spokesperson] said. ‘It’s just not currently a sustainable population.'” (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/08/aquarium-legal-battle-beluga-whales-russia)

The animal rights movement once again overlooks the plight of shareholders, or ‘human carers’.