BREAKING NEWS: Footage from Russian oceanarium shows abuse of beluga whales

The whale jail is empty
27.01.2020

BREAKING NEWS: Footage from Russian oceanarium shows abuse of beluga whales

Free Russian whales coalition received the footage from one of the surveillance cameras in Primorsky oceanarium. According to eyewitnesses who sent the video, trainer Dmitry Bachinsky beats up two adult male beluga whales. On the left, a 12-year-old beluga whale Nil, Bachinsky punches him with a fist, on the right – 13-year-old beluga Lir, Bachinsky kicks him with his legs

According to eyewitnesses, Bachinsky hit both beluga whales for refusing to kiss him after he gave them a treat, which is used as an important element of the show. Sources claim that Bachinsky practices such methods regularly and that the senior trainer of Primorsky oceanarium, Igor Kostychev, knows about the abuse and does not interfere with what is happening. Eyewitnesses claim that the video footage from the surveillance cameras of the oceanarium contains many such episodes.

The coalition members believe that such methods of “training” may fall under article 245 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Cruelty to animals” and are preparing an appeal to the prosecutor’s office to conduct an appropriate inspection.

This video is a vivid example of what aquariums and dolphinariums hide from visitors. Many countries stoped using cetaceans in captivity. In Russia progress is very slow…

Deputy Svetlana Bessarab has submitted to the State Duma of Russia a bill prohibiting the capture of cetaceans and other aquatic mammals for so-called cultural and educational purposes https://sozd.duma.gov.ru/bill/1155148-7
Unfortunately, it has not yet found support in the Russian Government, which actually blocks its passage.

Recently, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced a draft law by the Government of the Russian Federation introducing a ban on the capture of cetaceans in industrial and coastal fisheries. It was prepared almost a year ago, but has not even been submitted to the State Duma yet.

Mikhail Mishustin preferred not to report the fact that this bill prohibits activities that, in fact, have not been conducted in Russia for more than 30 years, and there are no prerequisites for the resumption of industrial and coastal fisheries of cetaceans.

And while the government bill was gathering dust on the shelves, the second very useful part on the prohibition of the export of Russian cetaceans abroad that was previously present on the bill disappeared…

Free Russian Whales coalition calls on Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to approve the bill by Svetlana Bessarab and finally put an end to the shameful history of the cruel exploitation of cetaceans for so-called “cultural and educational” purposes.

You can help by sending messages to Russian embassy in your country and asking to ban future captures of cetaceans for «cultural and educational» purposes.