Will Anderson, In
Defense of Animals (IDA)
March 2017
The Aquarium’s announcement appears intended to undercut and outwit Parks Board commissioners who have been waiting for a staff report that would outline options to respond to the tragic deaths of Qila and her mother Aurora in November 2016, as well as prevent future deaths in captivity.
The Vancouver Aquarium also announced it “intends” (not promises) to end beluga captivity by 2029 and not breed belugas until then, even after spending $20 million on the expansion project slated to begin later this year. Nothing was said about what would happen to any remaining belugas who might survive until that time.
Despite growing public opposition, the Vancouver Aquarium recently
announced that it intends to go forward with a $20 million dollar expansion
to increase cetacean capacity so that it can bring back as many as five
belugas from SeaWorld and other facilities currently on loan for “breeding”
in the U.S. This took the Vancouver Parks Board by surprise as it is
actively considering options before voting whether or not to end captivity
by board action or by a referendum presented to Vancouver voters.
The Aquarium’s announcement appears intended to undercut and outwit Parks
Board commissioners who have been waiting for a staff report that would
outline options to respond to the tragic deaths of Qila and her mother
Aurora in November 2016, as well as prevent future deaths in captivity.
The Vancouver Aquarium also announced it “intends” (not promises) to end
beluga captivity by 2029 and not breed belugas until then, even after
spending $20 million on the expansion project slated to begin later this
year. Nothing was said about what would happen to any remaining belugas who
might survive until that time.
The Vancouver Parks Board, which oversees the Aquarium’s lease on public
land, continues to consider ways to ban captivity. The next step in that
process is the March 8 public hearing being held by the Parks Board. The
board’s commissioners are increasingly challenged directly by the Aquarium’s
aggressive moves. This isn’t surprising because the Aquarium, which is a
nonprofit, has developed for-profit businesses strategies that include
managing major commercial captivity businesses elsewhere (Spain, and now it
seems, China) that feature circus “show business” exploitation of belugas
and other cetaceans. In reality, the Vancouver Aquarium is part of an
interlocking multinational corporate for-profit conglomerate that exploits
cetaceans and other species.
How the Parks Board commissioners will respond to Vancouver Aquarium’s
latest aggressive attack on the public process remains to be seen. Previous
commissioners have backed down when faced with the well-funded aquarium
mounted public relations and marketing campaigns that out maneuvered
anti-captivity campaigns in the past. What’s certain is that Vancouver
Aquarium will invest its moneyed PR power into doing whatever it wants. For
this and other reasons, Vancouver made the #9 spot for In Defense of Animals
2016 Ten Worst Tanks for whales and dolphins.
Vancouver Aquarium seemed happy to stand by for years while “their” Canadian
belugas were repeatedly abused in forced-breeding programs at SeaWorld.
These belugas and other cetaceans deserve the justice and dignity of being
retired to a seaside sanctuary where they can live out their lives in as
natural a circumstance as possible. We will have further updates, so stay
tuned for what you can do to ensure the abuse by confinement ends.
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