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Sperm whales

We’re pushing governments for action for our climate heroes – whales

The climate crisis is the greatest threat to all life on Earth. But there is...
Dolphins captured for captivity in Taiji. Image: Hans Peter Roth

Loved and killed – whales and dolphins in Japan

Protests and criticism from outside Japan in response to the slaughter of whales and dolphins...
Narwhal with beluga whales

Unusual Whale Adoptions

Kidzone - quick links Fun Facts Curious kids Blogs Fantastic fundraisers Gallery Splish and Splash...
Irrawaddy dolphin

Helping fishers protect dolphins in Sarawak, Borneo

Fishing nets are bad news for dolphins and porpoises, so we're working with local fishers...
Dolphin watching from Chanonry Point, Scotland. Image: WDC/Charlie Phillips

Discovering inner peace – whale and dolphin watching and mental wellbeing

Guest blog If you've ever seen whales or dolphins in the wild, you'll know that...
Whale tail

An ocean of hope

In a monumental, jaw-dropping demonstration of global community, the nations of the world made history...
North Atlantic right whale Porcia and her calf.

Critically Endangered Right Whale Babies Spotted

Kidzone - quick links Fun Facts Curious kids Blogs Fantastic fundraisers Gallery Splish and Splash...
The infamous killing cove at Taiji, Japan

Why the Taiji dolphin hunt can never be justified

Supporters of the dolphin slaughter in Japan argue that killing a few hundred dolphins every...

Beluga Action Alert! It's Better to be Free!

Belugas in the wild are a truly cosmopolitan species – they inhabit a wide variety of areas in the Arctic, from the deep ocean to coastal waters and estuaries.  They often visit shallow river mouths and are known to swim up rivers in search of food, and have also been found diving in deep submarine trenches.  When Arctic ice starts to form in the fall, belugas leave their summer homes of bays, fjords, and estuaries to venture into the cold Arctic Ocean.  They overwinter in polynyas (areas of open water surrounded by sea ice), near the edges of pack ice, or in areas of shifting ice where plenty of ocean is still available.

In captivity, there is no variation in the belugas’ habitat, and they do not migrate.  They stay in a concrete tank their entire lives and do not experience the freezing and thawing cycle of their native Arctic home.  There are no summers spent in estuaries, and no deep dives through seemingly bottomless trenches.  Being taken from the wild means they will never again experience the natural changes and rhythms of the ocean.

Each week, we will ask our supporters to join us in sending a message to one of Georgia Aquarium’s sponsors: that wild belugas do not belong in captivity, and they should not support an organization that seeks to imprison these amazing, charismatic, and wide-roaming beings.

This week, please join Whale and Dolphin Conservation in telling AT&T that “it’s better to be free.”  Visit their facebook page to send them a message (just copy & paste, if you’d like): “AT&T- you say you strive to be sustainable!  NOAA has said taking belugas from Russia is NOT sustainable!  Say NO to sponsoring the Georgia Aquarium! Wild Russian belugas don’t belong in captive US tanks. It’s better to be free!”

Thank you for your support in keeping belugas wild, safe, and free. Check back next week for a new beluga fact & another action alert!