Drone footage shows Whales in underwater pens

Whale Jail Update: What Ever Happened To Those 100 Whales Trapped In Underwater Russian Whale Prisons?

Just in case your day wasn’t totally ruined, we’re here to let you know that most of those 100 whales trapped in an underwater Russian whale jail – which were uncovered by dronefootage back in November – are still stuck there without the possibility of whale parole.



This is despite international outcry and continued coverage from the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, which first broke the news that up to 90 Beluga whales and 13 Orcas were being kept in tiny enclosures in Srednaya Bay, near the city of Nakhodka in Russia’s Far East, almost six weeks ago.

Baby Whales Still Trapped In Whale Jail
Veterinarian Pavel Chopenko, who was allowed to inspect the creatures inside their enclosures after the story gained global media attention last month, revealed that at least fifteen of the captured whales are babies under one year old.

Under current law a small quota of mature whales may be captured for scientific and educational purposes each year, but the capture of whales less than one year of age is outlawed in Russia in all circumstances.

Chinese Theme Parks Exploit ‘Rent A Whale’ Loophole
Commercially selling the animals at any age is strictly prohibited following a worldwide moratorium on commercial whale hunting in 1982.

Nevertheless, activists unearthed evidence that the whales were being exported to aquariums in neighboring China, with one of the whales valued at more than $1 million on a customs form.

To get around the prohibition on selling whales, unscrupulous companies are accused of “renting” whales to aquariums and marine theme parks, which are becoming increasingly popular in China with 60 parks currently in operation, and at least 12 more under construction.

Russia is the only country known to export Orcas captured in the wild.

Legal Wrangling Into Fate Of Jailed Whales
Investigations began in July this year, after the Russian prosecutor general’s office requested that the interior ministry open a fraud case against four fishing companies, which had received permits to capture a limited number of Orcas for research and educational purposes.

Russian news sources have reported that a criminal investigation has now been launched against the fishing companies alleged to be operating the whale jail, but it’s unknown whether any charges have yet been brought against individuals.

Whales In Limbo As Export Halted By District Court
On November 23 the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation Federal issued a warning to the Federal Agency for Fisheries relating to the capture of the whales, reiterating the policy that whales cannot be captured for commercial purposes.

The came off the back of a ruling by the Leninsky District Court of Vladivostok that the whales could not be exported to China, while investigations are ongoing. So far, only one of the thirteen Orcas has been released back into the wild. The fate of the other whales remain in limbo, until the issues relating to the capture and export permits are resolved.

Return To Wild ‘Will Kill Whales’
Oceanologists fear that even if the captured whales are returned to the wild there is a great likelihood that they not survive, as most have been separated from their pods as juveniles and cannot live independently.

The main priority of activists in Vladivostok now is to ensure that the whales are not exported to China, after the legal wrangling is complete.

It’s not all bad new however, in the face of pressure from conservationists and protesters both in and outside of Russia, the Russian Federal Agency for Supervision of the Use of Natural Resource (Rosprirodnadzor) has announced that from 2019 all capture of Orcas and belugas will be outlawed in Russia.

Whale Jail Update: What Ever Happened To Those 100 Whales Trapped In Underwater Russian Whale Prisons?