▲ This file photo, provided by Hot Pink Dolphins, shows the civic group protesting in front of the aquarium in Lotte World Mall in southern Seoul, demanding the discharge of the last white whale Bella on Dec. 16, 2022. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
▲ Animal rights and environmental groups call for the discharge of the last white whale Bella from Lotte World Aquarium during a press conference on Oct. 24, 2023. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) beluga aquarium-civic group

(LEAD) Civic groups call for release of last beluga whale from Lotte World Aquarium

(ATTN: UPDATES with comments by Lotte World official)

By Kim Hyun-soo

SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Yonhap) -- Civic groups called Tuesday for the release of Bella from Lotte World Aquarium in Seoul, in the latest appeal to send back the only surviving female beluga whale to her natural habitat.

Hot Pink Dolphins, a marine environmental group, along with four civic groups denounced Lotte World for not keeping its word to free the white whale, claiming it has "neglected its corporate social responsibility."

Lotte World imported Bella with her two male peers from Russia in 2014 for education and research when it opened the aquarium. But activists claimed that the import was for profit.

The two male whales died in 2016 and 2019, respectively, at the age of 5 and 12, far below the 40-year average span of beluga whales.

Lotte World has since vowed to send Bella to a wildlife sanctuary in a move for her eventual release into her natural habitat.

"No living creature exists for the pleasure of others and their lucrative business," said activist Na-yeong, an activist at Hot Pink Dolphins.

The civic groups also urged Lotte to come up with plans to build a sanctuary for the beluga abroad, or transfer Bella to sanctuaries in Iceland or Norway, where they have expressed interest in accommodating more white whales.

Lotte World Aquarium chief Koh Jeong-rack said during a parliamentary audit on Oct. 12 that they plan to discharge the endangered oceanic creature by 2026 into a foreign sanctuary.

The theme park business unit of Hotel Lotte Co. said its officials visited a whale sanctuary in Iceland a few years ago to ensure Bella could be released at the sanctuary.

But the process was delayed as Bella had to wait until the training of another whale at the sanctuary was completed, Kim Tae-hyung, a communications director at Lotte World, said.

It also hit a snag due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it impossible to transport Bella, even though the sanctuary in Iceland was ready for her, he said.

Lotte World Aquarium could not transport Bella to an indoor facility in Iceland due to the deteriorating health of another whale at the facility. In Iceland, a whale is released at an outdoor sanctuary after going through wildlife adaptation training at an indoor facility.

"We received notice from the operator of Iceland's sanctuary to wait due to a delay in setting up the environment for the ill whale and taking care of her," said Kim. "It's hard to tell exactly when the relocation can take place, but we're currently in discussions to facilitate Bella's move."

(END)

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