Orcas and Belugas are being held captive in Russia's Pacific Coast

90 Beluga and 11 Orca whales are being held in small temporary enclosures as prosecutors investigate whether they are being held illegally or for educational purposes. Activists allege that the whales are potentially in the process of a sale to China, home to a booming ocean theme park industry of more than 60 parks and a dozen more on the rise, although a worldwide moratorium on commercial whale hunting in 1986 states that the animals may only be captured for scientific and educational work.

Russia is believed to be the only country in the world that exports Orcas as one Orca whale can fetch more than $6 million in value, making them a prime animal to be sold for profit. With the financial gain, the demand for whales for entertainment and imprisonment might not go away anytime soon.

Local media reported that the whales were being prepared for transport to an unknown destination in a published video showing a crane lifting a whale into a tank. Experts have suggested that it is difficult to determine the age of the whales, but many of them held captive are potentially infants to be able to fit in the enclosure under close proximity and in big numbers, even though the capture of whale calves is forbidden.

Greenpeace Russia research coordinator, Oganes Targulyan, said :

“Catching them at this tempo, we risk losing our entire Orca population. The capture quota now is 13 animals a year, but no one is taking into account that at least one Orca is killed forry one that is caught”.

He added that holding them in the tiny confinement space is torture for the animals. Baby Orcas typically stay with their mothers for years after birth and can be traumatised if separated prematurely. Keeping them in captivity may lead to depression and disturbing behaviours such as banging against the glass and destroying their teeth. These animals should be heavily protected after being declared an endangered species by the nearby Kamchatka region this year. The Beluga whale is listed ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List Status, according to National Geographic.

Independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta stated that the four companies renting the enclosure for their captivity had exported 13 Orcas to China during the period of 2013 to 2016. At present, the Vladivostok conservation prosecutor is checking documents to verify whether they were actually given permission to catch 13 Orcas in 2018 and if the Orca and Beluga whales were captured for educational or scientific purposes. Although the enclosure is now barricaded and heavily guarded from outsiders, the legality of the enclosures holding them and their state of confinement is also under investigation.

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