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Russian orca capture activities moving into high gear — but are captors acting without permits?

Russian quota issued for 10 more orca captures

What now for Russian orcas? Following the news that two orcas were captured in the Okhotsk Sea, Russia, we now have the announcement of the 2014 quota allowing potential captors to apply for permits to catch 10 more orcas. Actually, usually the quota and the permit process happen before the actual captures, but this is Russia. …

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Russia seizes Japanese whaling vessel

The Japan Times leads with a report that ‘Russia has seized a Japanese research whaling ship in the Sea of Okhotsk on suspicion of intruding into Russian territorial waters, government sources said on Friday. The 712-ton Shonan Maru No. 2 left Japan on Aug. 8 to examine whales in the Sea of Okhotsk at the…

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Two orcas taken in illegal capture in Russia

Two killer whales were captured in recent weeks in Nikolaya Gulf, in the southwestern Sea of Okhotsk, the Russian Far East. The captors are reporting that the orcas were actually taken in 2013 and spent the winter in Nikolaya Gulf. This is impossible because the Gulf is completely frozen in winter. Word is that the…

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Russian Navy reported to have seized Ukranian dolphins for military

WDC is monitoring with concern reports that Russian armed forces have taken control of Ukrainian military bases holding dolphins. WDC has documented the use of dolphins in military programmes and investigated the export of military dolphins from the Black Sea previously. This is not a new phenomenon in the area. A military dolphinarium was established…

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Russian authorities recommend quota for 10 orca captures in 2014

Recommendations to take 10 more killer whales from the Russian Far East in 2014 were made yesterday, 19 March 2014, by TINRO, the Pacific Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography— much to the dismay of scientists who have been studying Russian orcas now for 14 years as part of the Far East Russia Orca Project,…

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