Risky valsläpp in the Russian Far east

"Captured Russian orcas won't have a future in the aquarium. But they released over 1 000 kilometers away from the places where they snärjdes, despite viltvårdares objections."

"It's about almost 100 orcas and belugas caught by the companies who had intended to sell them to the aquarium and pleasure facilities in among others China. But then animal lovers as the world-famous US-based experts Jean-Michel Cousteau and Charles Vinick involved the Russian authorities decided to späckhuggarna to be released around the coming end of the month."

"To shipping the whales to the sites where they were captured, in the Okhotsk sea, however, would be too expensive, said Vladislav Rozjnov at the ecological institute Sevin, which is included in the advice that determines the animal's fate. He and the other game wardens also mentions the risk that such a move would stress the whales."

"instead, released they are in the area where they were locked up in cages, near the city of Nahodka outside Vladivostok in southeastern Russia. It is about 1 300 km south-west of the locations where whales were caught."

"Cousteau and Vinick is critical. In a communiqué points out several risks, including the späckhuggarna to stay in this more densely populated area and end up in conflict with fishing and other human activities."

"Späckhuggarna is about ten to the number. What will happen with the approximately 90 vitvalarna is still unclear."