WWF Canada Holiday Card Features Captive Marineland Beluga
Sunday, December 15, 2013
This year WWF Canada (World Wildlife Fund) has sent out a holiday card to its supporters featuring a captive beluga whale, outraging anti-captivity advocates. The card, typically accompanied by a request for continued donations to WWF features a photo of Gemini, a captive female beluga at Marineland in Niagara Falls.
“I’m baffled as to why an organization would use her image to spread holiday cheer and promote the protection of one of Canada’s amazing species.”
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| GEMINI MOURNS HER DEAD CALF SASHA IN 2010 AT MARINELAND |
“For a group such as WWF Canada to send out a holiday card with a photo of a beluga held captive at one of the worst facilities in North America is pretty deplorable. Many Canadians believe as part of their mandate, WWF is supposed to be advocating for wildlife in their natural habitat not promoting their captivity.”
On their Facebook page commenter Alex Thomson questioned WWF Canada about their stance on marine mammal captivity and received this reply:
“WWF believes that—if designed and used appropriately as part of a science-based conservation management plan–that captive breeding programmes can provide positive benefits for species conservation.”
As anyone who has ever been to Marineland can tell you, there is no science based conservation plans taking place there. As for WWF Canada, one of their current campaigns includes asking for donations to “help keep the Beaufort Sea brimming with wildlife” which includes wild belugas.
