Captive beluga whales find new home

[Still Waters]

Two beluga whales performing in a Shanghai aquarium are to be flown to a new sanctuary in Iceland, giving hope to more than 3,000 captive cetaceans as the popularity of marine shows wanes.

Little White and Little Grey will be taken next year from Changfeng Ocean World to Klettsvik Bay, organisers told a press conference at the Sea Life London Aquarium on Tuesday.

The 12-year-old female cetaceans will still be in human care in the netted-off sea inlet as it is thought they will never survive on their own in the wild.

But the founders said it will give them a better life—and help research into how captive whales could one day be prepared for release out of human dependency.

https://phys.org/news/2018-06-captive-whales-home-aquarium-decline.html

[Still Waters]

Update:

Quote

Showbiz whales freed from captivity arrive in Iceland

Two beluga whales from a Shanghai aquarium have arrived in Iceland to be taken to a whale sanctuary there.

The 12-year-old whales flew halfway across the globe in special containers.

Born in the wild, Little Grey and Little White were captured at around two years old and performed for years as an attraction.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-48700496