June 13th, 2008

There's this ridiculous ritual that happens periodically here in Vancouver at the Vancouver Aquarium:

  1. Beluga whale is born
  2. Media attention swells for a few days, people fawn around the baby whale, children giggle, women cry
  3. A few months later, baby beluga gets sick
  4. A few days later, baby beluga dies.

Then, after a few months or years everyone forgets about the dead baby beluga whale until another one is born into the life-and-quick-death cycle again. Mark my words, most beluga whales born in captivity are doomed to death in less than half a year.

I mention this because, of course, there is a new baby beluga whale at the Vancouver Aquarium. And this one is no different from the others. I predict a dead whale by September.

Do you know how many baby belugas survive after being born in captivity? Less than half of them, and one has survived at the Vancouver Aquarium. Am I the only one who finds this breed-bear-birth-then-die ritual sickening and cruel?

It seems more like torture than anything else to me.

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