On March 12th, Beluga whale Ponchik died.
According to the official version from Moskvarium, the cause of death was acute renal failure alongside an exacerbated chronic disease.
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Before Moskvarium Ponchik was performing in the Dolphinarium in Sochi. There he performed under the name Zephyr.
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Ponchik was about 30 years old. In the wild, the average life span of belugas is 35-50 years.
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Ponchik was very large in size and it was very painful to see such a giant in a small pool … Now only beluga Ponca remains in Moscvarium.
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Although Moskvarium is the largest aquarium in Europe for people – for belugas, orca and dolphins, it is just another #whalejail 
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Moskvarium orcas and belugas were also once held for “adaptation ” in the same whale jail where 10 orcas and 87 belugas still remain.

Orcas Narnia, Nord and Juliet as well as the 10 remaining orcas from the whale jail, belong to a small population of transient orcas. They were also captured in the young age and placed into the pool to entertain people … Narnia, Nord and Juliet were less fortunate than captives from the whale jail. Our 10 orcas and 87 belugas still have a chance to get back what a man has recently taken away from them – their family and freedom … Narnia, Nord and Juliet will never see it … they will die in jail …. How many fates these prisons broke while hiding behind social benefits?
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Let’s stop captures in Russia!
Learn how you can help at freerussianwhales.org