A beluga whale named Bella has been imprisoned in a shopping mall in South Korea for over 10 years.
Beluga whales can dive over 2,000 feet, but Bella’s tiny, barren tank is a mere 22 feet deep. “When the Guardian visited the aquarium, Bella was seen switching between aimless spinning and floating motionlessly.” [2]
At just 2 years old, Bella was torn from her ocean home along with her companions, Bello and Belli. They were sold to Lotte World Aquarium, inside the Lotte World Tower, the world’s sixth-tallest skyscraper, owned by a wealthy South Korean conglomerate. [2]
In 2016, Bella's companion Bello tragically died at the age of 5. Three years later, Belli also died far too young. Beluga whales are highly intelligent and extremely social and can live 35-50 years in the wild, surrounded by their families in vast, open oceans.
Public outcry led Lotte to pledge to release Bella, but now, “almost five years have passed since they said they would release her,” says Jo Yak-gol, of the marine environmentalist group Hot Pink Dolphins. [2]
The good news is, South Korea has now banned the purchase of new dolphins and whales for display. Unfortunately, this law does not apply to animals already in captivity like Bella.
Bella deserves a chance at a better life. Demand that Lotte keep their word to send Bella to a sanctuary!
Thank you for caring about animals!
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