[Report] "Why Haven't You Kept the Promise from 2 Years Ago?" The Child Asked... Will the Dolphin, Left Alone After Siblings Died, Be Released?

Hot Pink Dolphins Hold Solo Protest for Beluga Release
"Promised Release in October 2019... Still Not Released After 2 Years"
Aquarium Explains, "Work Delayed Due to COVID-19... Please Watch Our Efforts"

On the afternoon of the 20th, Park Seong-ryeong held a solo protest urging the release of belugas at the entrance of the basement level 1 of Lotte World Mall in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Park Hyun-joo phj0325@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] "What can I do to help?", "It's already been two years, so why haven't they kept their promise yet?"

On the afternoon of the 20th, at the entrance of the basement level 1 of Lotte World Mall in Songpa-gu, Seoul, where the aquarium is located.

Amid the bustling crowd, Ms. Park Seong-ryeong (in her 30s) stood holding a placard that read, "Please send the white whale Bella to the wide ocean." This is a relay solo protest organized by the animal protection group Hot Pink Dolphins, which began on the 9th to urge the release of the beluga (white dolphin) "Bella" exhibited at the aquarium. It is carried out through voluntary participation by citizens and will continue until the 24th.

Ms. Park, who participated in the protest that day, said, "I wanted to do something meaningful for my birthday this week, so I came out." Having a strong interest in animal rights and having worked for animal protection organizations in the past, she explained her motivation for joining: "I was drawn to Hot Pink Dolphins because they consistently and persistently focus on the beluga release issue."

Ms. Park said, "It was very precious and heartwarming to have citizens ask, 'What can I do to help release the beluga?' or 'Where can I sign the petition to urge the beluga release?'" She added, "I thought that such courage gathered together might become the power to release Bella." She also shared, "Especially, employees working at Lotte World Mall came out and read the slogans aloud. Those small curiosities were truly precious."

People glanced at the placard Ms. Park held as they passed by or stopped for a while to read the message. There was even a couple in their 20s who handed her a drink, saying, "Thank you for your effort." According to a review posted on Hot Pink Dolphins' social media after a previous protest, a child who saw the protester's placard asked, "Why haven't they kept the promise to release the beluga yet?"

Mr. Park Ji-hoon (50), who was leaving Lotte World Mall heading toward the subway, also spoke to Ms. Park to ask what was going on. When the reporter asked if he knew about the beluga exhibition, he said, "I have known about it for a long time," and expressed his opinion, "I hope the beluga is released back into nature."

Spectators watching Bella's swimming performance. Photo by Hyunju Park phj0325@

Lotte World Aquarium, which opened in October 2014, brought in and exhibited three belugas at the time of its opening. After three years of exhibition, in April 2016, Bello (then 5 years old) died, followed by Belly (then 12 years old) in October 2019, leading to continuous demands from animal protection groups for the release of the belugas. Both individuals died of sepsis, and the average lifespan of belugas in the wild is known to be 30 to 35 years.

As criticism intensified, on October 24, 2019, the aquarium announced that it would release Bella, the only remaining beluga among the three. However, animal protection groups continue to criticize the fact that Bella has not been released and is still on display two years later. On July 17 of last year, the aquarium stated in a press release that it planned to transfer Bella to an acclimation facility by this year.

◆ Aquarium crowded with visitors... especially high popularity of the beluga

Although it was a weekday afternoon, many visitors came to the aquarium with family, lovers, and friends. The beluga, the mascot of the aquarium named "Ruru," appeared to be the most popular. The beluga zone tank where Bella was exhibited was crowded with people watching Bella swim, and young children ran around the tank, fascinated by Bella.

A couple in their 20s who came to see the beluga said, "The white dolphin was fascinating and beautiful, so we watched for a long time." On the other hand, Ms. Lee Jeong-eun (in her 40s), who visited with her 6-year-old son, said, "It might be a fascinating sight for children, but honestly, the exhibited individuals look confined and pitiful."

In addition, many endangered species such as Humboldt penguins, Napoleon fish, and hawksbill sea turtles were exhibited inside the aquarium.

Humboldt penguin (left) and hawksbill sea turtle exhibited inside Lotte World Aquarium. Photo by Hyunju Park phj0325@

◆ "They should stop the exhibition immediately" vs. "We are working to release in the best condition"

Animal protection groups criticized the aquarium for not keeping its promise to release the beluga even after two years. Na Young, an activist and head of the Hot Pink Dolphins Seoul branch, said, "The aquarium claimed to have held about four meetings for the beluga release, but there should have been more. I suspect these meetings are just for show," and criticized, "They have not disclosed any information about the process or progress of the release work."

She also expressed concern about Bella's current health condition. She speculated, "Compared to monitoring in February last year, Bella has recently shown many stress behaviors. She has been making loud noises and exhibiting stereotypic behaviors such as swimming in circles, and the number of wounds on her body has increased, which raises suspicion that she is not being properly cared for." She also worried, "Considering the ages of the previously deceased Bello and Belly, Bella, who is currently 12 years old, could die at any time."

Activist Na Young urged, "I am not saying to release her immediately tomorrow. But I hope they stop the exhibition as soon as possible and prepare more actively for the release for Bella's sake."

Bella spinning around in place. While animal protection groups claim this is stereotypic behavior caused by stress, the aquarium explains it as a kind of play or habit. Photo by Hyunju Park phj0325@

On the other hand, the aquarium stated that they are doing their best to release Bella. An aquarium official said, "We have currently formed a release technical committee and are conducting habitat environmental assessments, health evaluations, and adaptability assessments," adding, "Besides the release technical committee, we are also making efforts such as beluga training and examinations on our own." Regarding criticism about the delayed release timing, they explained, "Due to COVID-19, work with the institutions we were in contact with has been postponed, making it difficult to meet the original release target set for this year."

Regarding the speculation that Bella shows stereotypic behavior, they responded, "You cannot conclude stereotypic behavior by observing behavior only at certain times. It can also be seen as a kind of play or habit," and added, "We conduct natural behavior enrichment more than 10 times a day and train her to adapt to various foods. Also, currently, aquarists and veterinarians check Bella's health daily through regular examinations."

They continued, "We are working harder than anyone else to ensure that the beluga can be safely transported and released in the healthiest and safest condition. We hope you will watch over us."

Meanwhile, Cho Hee-kyung, head of Animal Freedom Coalition and a member of the release technical committee, said, "We are discussing candidate sites for release, but other than Iceland, there are no suitable places, so it is not an easy situation," updating on the current discussion status.