Maris, a 21-year-old beluga whale at the Georgia Aquarium, became the latest victim of captivity when she died while under the Atlanta aquarium’s care, just months after losing her second calf there. Maris was denied her freedom for her entire life.
She was transferred from one facility to another, and her two babies died. Often, captive whales are too depressed to nurse and perhaps even wish that their children would die rather than being confined to a concrete tank, deprived of all joy and a rewarding life. She was denied everything that was important to her, including a natural habitat. Whether or not she had a physical ailment that went unnoticed, she was killed by captivity.
We're profoundly saddened to announce the sudden loss of our 21 yr. old beluga whale, Maris. https://t.co/ZyLihvxLvg pic.twitter.com/fQeGq6MLyx
— Georgia Aquarium (@GeorgiaAquarium) October 22, 2015
What You Can Do
Please don’t visit marine parks, zoos, or aquariums that keep ocean animals in captivity. Encourage your local aquarium to create more space for rehabilitating (and releasing) injured wildlife by refusing to breed or bring in any more animals.
