Slight Delay Due to Securing Space at Badashimter
Approximately 2 More Years Remaining Until Final Release
It has been reported that Bella, the beluga whale at Lotte World that was supposed to be released into the wild five years ago, is still remaining in the aquarium. Belugas, known as highly intelligent creatures, are known to experience immense stress when confined in aquariums. Several other belugas that were confined with Bella have already died from depression and other stress-related conditions.
On the 21st, 'Yonhap News' reported that Bella is still at the Lotte World Aquarium. At one time, there were three belugas in this aquarium, including Bella, Bello, and Belly. Bello died of sepsis in April 2016, and Belly passed away in October 2019. Both are presumed to have suffered health deterioration due to depression caused by stress.
Belugas are highly intelligent animals that communicate with each other and recognize surrounding objects using ultrasound. The confined environment of an aquarium amplifies their ultrasonic noises, causing tremendous stress. Moreover, belugas are intelligent enough to recognize that they have been captured and confined.
Bella was born in 2012 in the Russian Arctic region and was brought into South Korea through Russia's TINRO (TINRO) research institute. She has been on display since the opening of the Lotte World Aquarium in 2014.
However, as Bella’s companions died one after another from stress, Lotte World eventually decided to release Bella in October 2019. Yet, even after five years, Bella remains confined at Lotte World.
Previously, Ko Jung-rak, the former director of Lotte World Aquarium, testified at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ national audit in October last year, stating, "We are discussing Bella’s release with an overseas company by 2026." In other words, about two years remain until the promised release.
The reason for the delay in Bella’s release is the failure to find a suitable "whale sanctuary." Belugas are rare animals with only about 130,000 surviving near the Arctic Ocean. Releasing a beluga that has lost its wild instincts due to long-term aquarium life into the wild risks reducing the population. Therefore, a whale sanctuary is an artificial space designed to closely resemble the sea environment, allowing belugas from aquariums to live there.
The whale sanctuary has been established through investments from various animal organizations and is known to be operating in Iceland. Bella was also scheduled to be moved there, but the transfer has been somewhat delayed recently due to environmental setup issues within the facility. Besides this, Lotte World is still seeking ways to release Bella.
Some argue that since there are still two years left until the final release, the current aquarium environment where Bella lives should be improved. In response, a Lotte World official told the media, "The Lotte World Aquarium meets the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ standards for the breeding environment of cetaceans."
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