No Orca Captures In 2004
But The Suffering Continues

Monday, November 22, 2004
ENGLAND – WDCS is pleased to report that the 2004 season for orca (killer whale) captures in Russian waters has ended without a single capture. As winter arrives, the window of opportunity for capture teams seeking wild orcas to sell to aquariums and marine parks has closed. Meanwhile, 46 orcas, including many victims of previous captures from around the world, continue to suffer a shortened and impoverished life in captivity.

Since 1961, at least 135 orcas have been taken from the wild for entertainment or display purposes. Over 80 percent of these animals are now dead, surviving an average of less than six years in captivity.

Cathy Williamson WDCS’s Anti-Captivity Campaigner said "Captures can be fatal for both the orca that is taken and for others in its family group. The importance of key individuals means that the removal of just one animal could have long term implications for the survival of the group. As well as having serious concerns about the welfare of the animals taken, we fear that the future survival of orcas in Far East Russia could be threatened by further captures."

In September 2003, an orca capture took place in Zhirovaya Bay, Kamchatka, in Far East Russia. During the capture, one young animal died when she became entangled in the net surrounding the group. Another was taken into captivity, dying only weeks later, thousands of miles from home, in an aquarium on the Black Sea. The capture confirmed WDCS’s worst fears about the impact on the animals targeted and WDCS again strongly urged the Russian Government not to allow further captures of orcas in its waters. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation gave his approval to a catch limit of six orcas in Russian waters for 2004.

WDCS welcomed the recommendation from the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission in July that a full assessment of the status of orcas in southeast Kamchatka should be carried out before live captures occur. At the time of writing we believe no captures were attempted or orcas taken during 2004.

Since 1999, WDCS has supported a research team working in Far East Russia identifying orcas and recording their behaviour, including vocalizations. This is extremely important work to learn more about these little known orcas. The results so far support our claim that any captures would have a significantly detrimental effect on the survival of orcas in this region. The Far East Russia Orca Project’s findings have recently been presented at the Third Marine Mammals of the Holarctic Conference, which took place in Ukraine in October.

International demand for orcas for display in captivity presents an important risk to wild orca populations. Although demand for orca imports has recently focused on Japan, plans are underway to construct a new aquarium in Tenerife to display orcas exported from the United States. Yet there are only 46 orcas in captivity in five different countries and six orcas, including two very young calves, died in captivity during 2004.

Orcas are the largest dolphin species, found mainly in colder waters of the world’s oceans. As top predators in every ecosystem, they are intensely social and live in small, tightly-bonded family groups, or pods, that stay together for life. The populations in the best known areas number fewer than 300 whales. In the wild, the average lifespan for females is 50 years, with some living to 80 years. The average lifespan for males in the wild is 30 years.

A letter signed by more than 25 international orca scientists has recently been presented to the Russian authorities asking them not to allow any orcas to be captured in Russian waters. The letter also warns about the possible consequences of taking individuals from populations about which very little is known and for which any removals would have seriously negative implications.

Meanwhile, many countries around the world are developing whale-watching enterprises focusing on wild orcas, rather than turning orcas into circus performers. Orcas, wherever they are found, have become some of the most popular whales in whale-watch operations, with many positive benefits for education, science and local communities.