Petition to block whale import gathers steam

December 17^th, 2012. More than 10,000 people have signed an online petition against the planned import of six beluga whales from Russia for display at a Bangkok zoo. The campaign is demanding the Fisheries Department ban the import order.

Jirayu Ekkul, coordinator of the Love Wildlife Foundation, which initiated the signature campaign, said he had heard that a private zoo in Bangkok had sought permission from the department to import the whales.

The department would decide whether to grant import permission to the zoo operator on Wednesday.

Mr Jirayu said the group would submit the petition to fisheries chief Wimol Jantrarotai ahead of the meeting, asking him to reject the request. The group will also submit scientific reports about the impact of keeping the marine mammals in captivity, he said.

The studies show whales and dolphins kept in captivity have shorter lifespans than those living in the wild, he said, adding that the same zoo had imported four whales six years ago and three of them had since died.

“Legally speaking, the department has full authority to approve the whale imports, as Thailand has no law on marine mammal protection, but in terms of animal welfare, the request should be dropped,” he said. “Beluga whales belong in the Arctic, not in a Bangkok aquarium.

“The whales normally swim more than 100km per day in the sea, so how can they adjust to a confined space ?”

The beluga is a protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora’s appendix II, which allows international trade of the species under close supervision.

It is estimated there are about 150,000 belugas living in the wild and 200 in zoos worldwide, Mr Jirayu, who created the online petition at change.org on Tuesday last week, said.

The marine conservationist said all belugas being traded around the world came from the wild. Sometimes, hunters kill mother whales to take their babies, he said.

Anita Singhapibul, 24, who signed the petition, said she believed the whales were being imported for commercial purposes rather than for conservation.

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