Last evening, a news report covered the "rescue" of two beluga whales from a Ukrainian aquarium; their welfare was threatened by Russian attacks which might cut off electricity to that facility. In that coverage, the whales were transported to Spain, where they will endure further confinement in another aquarium.
While the Russian attacks are criminal, keeping marine mammals in captivity is also tragic and unjustified. These intelligent creatures belong in the open sea, not behind panes of glass for the entertainment of humans.
Indeed, we should boycott all aquariums that house marine mammals, whether they are trained to "perform" or not; an exception would be rehabilitation facilities where their confinement is temporary. Though we are gradually destroying their natural environment as well, these residents of the sea deserve the freedom to fend for themselves, however long the oceans remain habitable.
