RGS Members Offered Assistance in the Rehabilitation of Killer Whales in the Srednyaya Bay in Primorye

Photo: Mikhail Korostyolov
Photo: Mikhail Korostyolov

Russian mass media has been come up with information on the killer whales, belugas and other marine mammals management for several months. There is new information riveting public attention regularly. An expert commission of specialists from different cities of Russia conducted work at the base where marine mammals are kept. The work was held from January 17 to January 19. The commission included biologists, ecologists, veterinarians, representatives of oceanariums and environmental organizations from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Primorye and Sakhalin. Representatives of the RGS Regional Branch of Primorye also took part in the comission work. There are 11 killer whales, 87 belugas, 6 walrus, 9 bearded seals and about 50 spotted seals at the base today. The experts assessed the age and welfare of animals and took samples. The official results of the work of the commission will be known later.

A meeting of several comission members, representatives of the company that organized trapping and animal management, FEFU and "TINRO-Center" scientists, representatives of public organizations and the media of the Primorsky Territory was held on the basis of the RGS Regional Branch of Primorye - the Society for the Study of the Amur Region on January 20. The attendees discussed the situation related to animal management and future life of animals.

Chairman of the RGS Regional Branch of Primorye A.M. Buyakov expressed his opinion: "We will not give a legal or other assessment of what is happening because investigative measures are still being conducted. We have gathered to discuss everything objectively, to prevent false representation in public and to outline further steps related to this situation. And we must act strictly in the legal field. As soon as the result of the inspection of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Primorsky Territory and the Khabarovsk Territory’s Ministry of Internal Affairs will be known and the materials will be brought to court, then it will be clear who is to blame and what to do. Now we are trying to discuss the situation related to killer whales and beluga whales, and understand what steps need to be taken in the future in relation to the rehabilitation of these animals.

 

Among the members of the Russian Geographical Society are people who, if necessary, can assist in organizing a rehabilitation center and attraction of specialists.

My personal position is that I am against trapping and selling of all kinds of the marine mammals. But I will repeat myself, we must act in the legal field in any case".

The topic of finding marine mammals in Srednyaya Bay will receive further coverage at the RGS site, which was agreed upon at the conclusion of the meeting.