Second Beluga Whale Baby Dies At Georgia Aquarium
It further stated that staff's primary concern is now the wellbeing of Maris. This is her second failed pregnancy. Although both of her calves (2012 and 2015) survived past birth, neither made it to one month.
"Preliminary diagnostics, including consultation from veterinary specialists, indicated that the calf had gastrointestinal issues that were preventing her from properly absorbing and assimilating nutrients that she needed to grow and thrive," said Dr. Gregory Bossart, senior vice president and chief veterinary officer for the Aquarium.
© Dr. Terry Newby
© Dr. Terry Newby
© Ingrid N. Visser, Ph.D.
Think SeaWorld cares about animals? These are just a few examples of SeaWorld’s shoddy track record of animal welfare:
46,000
According to SevenSeasOfFreedom, Maris' second calf died this morning just after 7Am. Georgia Aquarium reports that the unnamed female calf had "gastrointestinal issues that were preventing her from properly absorbing and assimilating nutrients that she needed to grow and thrive.".
It further stated that staff's primary concern is now the wellbeing of Maris. This is her second failed pregnancy. Although both of her calves (2012 and 2015) survived past birth, neither made it to one month.
Everyone at Georgia Aquarium was ready to capitalize on the birth of this baby Beluga. But what about their death?
Not much is known about Maris' history. But SevenSeasOfFreedom provided a short summary:
-Maris' parents were caught off the coast of Manitoba, Canada on the same day in 1984.
-Maris was born in New York Aquarium in July 1994. She was transferred many times over her 20 year life. NY Aquarium -> Mystic -> New York Aquarium -> Georgia Aquarium -> Seaworld Texas -> Georgia Aquarium
Unfortunately, the second calf born to Maris is the latest victim of captivity.
Unfortunately, the second calf born to Maris is the latest victim of captivity.
ATLANTA – The baby beluga whale born at Georgia Aquarium last month has passed away, aquarium officials said Friday.
On Thursday, chief aquarium vet Dr. Gregory Bossart said that the beluga whale calf was in "extremely guarded condition" after not gaining significant weight since her birth on Mother's Day.
Efforts to supplement her caloric needs with formula were not successful, officials said.
Efforts to supplement her caloric needs with formula were not successful, officials said.
"Preliminary diagnostics, including consultation from veterinary specialists, indicated that the calf had gastrointestinal issues that were preventing her from properly absorbing and assimilating nutrients that she needed to grow and thrive," said Dr. Gregory Bossart, senior vice president and chief veterinary officer for the Aquarium.
The calf passed away Friday morning. A necropsy, or animal autopsy, will be conducted, but officials said an exact cause of death may never be known.
"While we recognize death is part of the natural cycle of life, this remains a difficult loss for the entire Aquarium team," Georgia Aquarium CEO and chairman Mike Leven said.
Editors note: While everyone knows the perils of captivity, few facilities like Seaworld have accepted its fundamental short-fallings, there can be no other conclusion except to say that captivity killed this beluga baby. Georgia Aquarium identified the calf as being malnourished, which could be attributed to lack of care by the facility not the mother Maris, and thus began to feed the calf artificial milk, which the calf rejected. Then the calf died. 
At any point does any reader believe this calf would have survived in the wild where was free supply of food on which to be able to milk the baby?
At any point does any reader believe this calf would have survived in the wild where was free supply of food on which to be able to milk the baby?
Is this yet another ploy to get Georgia Aquarium to cry "give me a permit to import MORE beluga whales into my aquarium!" or does it kill any chances they, and Seaworld, might have had in attaining more actors for their commercials...
We all know how well Seaworld takes care of their beluga
Wild Arctic beluga whale dies
SeaWorld , facing ongoing criticism about keeping whales in captivity, announced Friday that a beluga whale living in its Wild Arctic attraction at its Orlando park has died.
SeaWorld , facing ongoing criticism about keeping whales in captivity, announced Friday that a beluga whale living in its Wild Arctic attraction at its Orlando park has died.
Dr. Lori Marino responded to GA's confusion which the baby's death, " This is called Failure To Thrive. It's in all the medical books." Do you think they deserve to be given the right to import those 18 Beluga Whales captured in Russia?
10 Reasons SeaWorld SUCKS!1. A History of Violence
© Dr. Terry Newby
When the original Shamu was captured from the wild in 1965, her mother was shot with a harpoon and killed in front of the young orca’s eyes by a marine “cowboy” named Ted Griffin. Griffin’s partner, Don Goldsberry, later worked for SeaWorld and was assigned to bring orcas into the park even as he continued to kidnap and slaughter orcas. He even once hired divers to cut open the bellies of four orcas, fill them with rocks, put anchors around their tails, and sink them to the bottom of the ocean, all to cover up his dirty deeds! 
2. More Orcas Kidnapped and Sent to SeaWorld
© Dr. Terry Newby
Five orcas currently at SeaWorld were kidnapped from their ocean homes—and even more were kidnapped but have since DIED! One of the survivors, Tilikum, has spent 30 of his 32 years in captivity. He was torn away from his family against his will and confined to a small concrete tank, all to make $$ for SeaWorld.
3. Collapsed Dorsal Fins Are NOT Normal
SeaWorld claims that this unhealthy condition is common and natural—but in reality, it’s only normal in captivity. ALL male adult orcas in captivity have collapsed dorsal fins, which is caused by their unnatural environments. FACT: In the wild, only 1 to 5 percent of male orcas in just a few select populations have fully collapsed dorsal fins.
4. Orcas in Captivity Have a Shorter Life Span
CLICK TO SEE FULL INFOGRAPHIC!
Orcas in the wild have an average life expectancy of 30 to 50 years—and it’s estimated that males can live up to 60 to 70 years while females can live up to 80 to 100 years (or more)! In captivity, the average age at which orcas have died in captivity is about 13.
5. Trainers Are Performers, Not Biologists
Contrary to popular belief, trainers often have no formal education in marine biology. Their main purpose is to entertain and put on a “good” show for visitors, not educate people about the intelligence, social nature, or natural families, foraging behavior, and habitats of the animals held at SeaWorld.
6. SeaWorld Fails to Care for Animals
© Ingrid N. Visser, Ph.D.- FACT: On January 11, 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an official warning to SeaWorld San Antonio for its “repeated failure to provide drain covers that are securely fastened in order to minimize the potential risk of animal entrapment”—a violation that resulted in the death of a sea lion.
- FACT: In March 2013, prompted by PETA’s complaint about a child who had been bitten by a dolphin at SeaWorld, the USDA conducted an investigation and cited the marine park for several violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including the use of expired surgical materials, some almost a decade old.
- FACT: The USDA also documented that a dolphin tank and the areas surrounding the orca performance tank were in disrepair and contained cracked and crumbling concrete and rusty beams that could pose a threat to the health and safety of both the animals and workers.
- FACT: In July 2014, PETA filed a complaint with the USDA asking the agency to take action and force SeaWorld to give orcas protection from the hot sun. The federal Animal Welfare Act requires that animals have sufficient shelter from direct sunlight, but at SeaWorld’s parks in Orlando and San Diego, orcas have little to no shade. A recent article on TheDodo.com detailed how workers at the facilities routinely cover sunburned orcas’ skin with black zinc oxide. Of course, the black sunscreen also hides burns and blisters from the public eye. Wild orcas spend much of their time at depths that lessen the impact of ultraviolet radiation, but because SeaWorld’s tanks are so shallow, the orcas have no way to dive deeply, much less escape the sun’s burning rays.
Please say NO to SeaWorld and its enslavement of animals by refusing to buy a ticket to this abusement park, and ask the marine park to release these animals to sanctuaries.Reject Japan's Latest "Scientific" Whale Killing Plan
- author: Georgina B.
- target: IWC Executive Secretary, Dr. Simon Brockington
- signatures: 45,323
we've got 45,323 signatures, help us get to 46,000
Japan has submitted a whale killing proposal to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) — the global body that oversees the protection of endangered whales. Japan plans to kill 333 minke whales every year for the next 12 years under the guise of "scientific research".
Minke whales are intelligent, sensitive mammals who communicate with each other through complex vocalizations. Killing them under the guise of "science" is inhumane.
Last year, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Japan to shut down its "scientific whaling" program in the Antarctic, concluding it was not scientific research. The court also found Japan's whaling operations violated the ban on commercial whaling and compromised the integrity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Following the ruling, the IWC approved plans to tighten the rules around whaling for research purposes, and passed a resolution to uphold the ICJ ruling. This effectively shut down Japan's Antarctic whaling plans.
Now Japan is trying to find another way to kill whales. Following the latest proposal, nearly 500 cetacean scientists and researchers from 30 countries are rallying against it, according to news reports. They are urging the IWC to reject the plan. But if the IWC is to listen, they need our support.
Will you join me in urging the IWC to reject Japan's attempt to start whaling again under the guise of "scientific research"?
Minke whales are intelligent, sensitive mammals who communicate with each other through complex vocalizations. Killing them under the guise of "science" is inhumane.
Last year, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Japan to shut down its "scientific whaling" program in the Antarctic, concluding it was not scientific research. The court also found Japan's whaling operations violated the ban on commercial whaling and compromised the integrity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Following the ruling, the IWC approved plans to tighten the rules around whaling for research purposes, and passed a resolution to uphold the ICJ ruling. This effectively shut down Japan's Antarctic whaling plans.
Now Japan is trying to find another way to kill whales. Following the latest proposal, nearly 500 cetacean scientists and researchers from 30 countries are rallying against it, according to news reports. They are urging the IWC to reject the plan. But if the IWC is to listen, they need our support.
Will you join me in urging the IWC to reject Japan's attempt to start whaling again under the guise of "scientific research"?
Lolita Will Never Be Ridden Like A Surfboard Again.
No more trainer rides for Lolita the Miami killer whale
In order to meet federal safety regulations, trainers at the Miami Seaquarium will no longer perform rides with Lolita, the resident killer whale, following a federal safety investigation, the South Florida tourist attraction has announced.
The investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was looking into how the Seaquarium's marine mammal trainers work with Lolita.
Due to concern for employee safety, OHSA recently issued a citation "that requires that we remove employees from the water during show performances," the Seaquarium said in a statement on Monday.
"As a result of OSHA's concerns (and not based on any safety incidents with Lolita), Miami Seaquarium has agreed to remove trainers from the water during show performances with Lolita," it said.
The decision also comes four months after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration classified Lolita as endangered, as her wild relatives are, opening the door to potential lawsuits. Lolita had previously been exempted from the endangered species list because of her captive status.
Last month animal rights activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Animal Legal Defense Fund said they would sue the Seaquarium for violating the Endangered Species Act if it does not improve living conditions for Lolita, in captivity for more than four decades.
The push to free Lolita has gained momentum following the 2013 documentary "Blackfish," which described the captivity of orcas and how one killed a trainer at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida.
Thousands have gathered outside the beachside tourist attraction in recent months, demanding her release.
The Seaquarium decision to suspend the orca rides came as no surprise to PETA. "The handwriting was on the wall: Had the Seaquarium continued to expose trainers to the danger of direct contact with orcas, it could well have followed in SeaWorld's footsteps with the loss of human life by deeply frustrated captive marine mammals," Jared Goodman, the director of animal law for PETA, said in a statement.
Citations for employee endangerment could have exposed the Seaquarium's internal records of its handling of orcas, he said.
Lolita, a 7,000-pound (3,175 kilograms) orca was captured in 1970 about 50 miles northwest of Seattle, according to PETA.
Killer whales are highly social mammals that have no natural predators and can live to 50 to 80 years old.
The Seaquarium argues Lolita is well cared for and would face the difficult challenges of learning how to hunt and rejoin a group of wild orcas.
Editors note: When activists turned in this YouTube video to complain to OSHA about Miami Seaquarium, the intended result was reached with the help from laws protecting both trainers and animals from harm. When Miami Seaquarium claims Lolita will have challenges learning to become wild again, it can't be half as challenging as when she was forced to forget how to be wild and free. Those challenges are to remember and get fit again. Forgetting to be an apex predator while being held captive and forced to do tricks for money is a much bigger challenge for Lolita to continue, until the show is finally over. We hope this will happen with her freedom, not her passing.
Help the World’s Loneliest Orca.
Nearly half a century ago, Lolita was taken from her family in the wild. Now she lives here:
Wild members of Lolita's family are highly social, stay with their mothers for life, travel up to 100 miles per day, and dive hundreds of feet below the water's surface, all while Lolita is imprisoned at the Miami Seaquarium in the smallest orca tank in North America. And Lolita hasn't seen another orca since her tankmate died after ramming his head into the side of the tank more than 35 years ago.
 Lolita's family members, who still swim in the area where she was captured, were listed as endangered, in part because dozens of orcas were stolen from the ocean around the same time as Lolita. Following a petition by PETA and others, the National Marine Fisheries Service granted Lolita those same protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We believe that confining Lolita to a small, shallow, and barren concrete tank—where she has been unable to swim any meaningful distance, dive, forage, or carry out virtually any natural behavior for more than 40 years and where she is without an orca companion or protection from the hot sun—violates the ESA. PETA, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Orca Network, and two concerned individuals have notified the Miami Seaquarium of their intent to sue, as required by the ESA, in behalf of Lolita and seeking her freedom from the facility. Lolita could be released to a sea pen in her native waters for rehabilitation and to live out the remainder of her days near her family in as natural of a setting as possible.
Add your name to the list of people who want to see Lolita freed!
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