To Commissioners:

John Coupar
Erin Shum
Casey Crawford
Sarah Kirby-Yung
Stuart Mackinnon
Catherine Evans
Michael Wiebe
cc.
Vancouver City Hall
December 7, 2016
Dear Vancouver Park Board Commissioners,
Within just weeks of each other, the Vancouver Aquarium has lost two beluga whales, a
mother and her calf, to uncertain causes. The mother beluga Aurora, died on November
25. She began showing symptoms of distress, particularly stomach distress, immediately
after her calf, Qila, died two weeks prior.
Aurora was believed to be about 30 years old and was captured in the wild; Qila was only 21
and born in captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium. Beluga whales in the wild can easily
achieve lifespans that are twice as long.
According to records, at least 8 orcas, 6 narwhals, 11 belugas, and more than 20 other
cetaceans have died at the Aquarium over the past half-century. Six captive beluga whales
have died there in the past 2 years alone. It is a fact that the Aquarium has a dismal record of
keeping captive cetaceans alive.
Captivity is known to have many adverse impacts on cetaceans, which for belugas are very
similar to the impacts on orcas and other dolphins revealed by the documentaries Fall
From Freedom and Blackfish. Beluga whales suffer greatly from lifetimes of
confinement. They are extremely intelligent and sensitive; stress, boredom, and other
symptoms from captivity reduce their immune system, rendering them increasingly
susceptible to disease.
In light of the deplorable record the Vancouver Aquarium has on keeping cetaceans alive
over the last 50 years, we, the undersigned international non-profit organizations implore the
Vancouver Parks Board to put and end to the suffering at the Aquarium. In light of the
recent deaths at the facility we believe that Commissioners should make moves to firstly put
a stop to any imports of belugas or dolphins to the Aquarium and secondly move swiftly to
permanently ban keeping cetaceans in captivity in Vancouver.
Sincerely,
The International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute on behalf of,

Animal Rights, Sweden

Turtle Island Restoration Network, USA
Green Vegans, Seattle, Washington, USA
Pro Wildlife, Germany
OceanCare, Switzerland
Whale and Dolphin Conservation, UK
Nantucket Marine Mammals, USA
In Defense of Animals, USA
Finns for the Whales, Finland
Dolphin Connection, USA
COMARINO, Mexico
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), USA
ANZURES, Mexico
BlueVoice.org, USA
EMS Foundation, South Africa
Born Free USA
Cetacean Society International, USA
Namibians Against the Plundering of Our Seas, Namibia
Australians for Animals, Australia
California Gray Whale Coalition, USA
Animal Rights Hawaii, USA
Australia for Dolphins, Australia
ReEarth, Bahamas
Grupo de los Cien, Mexico

Dolphin Project, USA

MEER e.V., Germany
The Animal Rights Alliance, Sweden
Marine Connection, UK
The Whaleman Foundation, USA
Marine Animal Rescue, USA
Klamath Forest Alliance, USA
Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), USA