The Whales in Russian ‘jail’ will be freed

Russia agrees to release a group of nearly 100 captive whales which have been kept in small pens in the far east of the country. An orca had been lifted by crane from a holding area in Russia’s far east, where 97 captured belugas and orcas have been held since summer 2018.

This is followed by an international outcry and intervention by President Vladimir V. Putin.

A total of 11 killer whales (orcas) and 87 belugas are being kept in cramped enclosures on the Sea of Japan. The authorities said that they will be released after some process which requires several months.

Alexei Gordeyev, the Deputy Prime Minister had told the medias, “We have taken the only sensible decision at the recommendation of scientists to release the animals to their natural habitat where they were caught”.

Reports said that the officials of VNIRO, the Russian Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography have started the steps to move the first eight animals.

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