Protesters Want Bella, a Beluga Whale, Freed from the Seoul Mall

Surrounded by luxury shops in Seoul at the base of the world’s sixth-tallest skyscraper, Bella the beluga whale is being held against her will. Trapped for a decade, her plight has become urgent as campaigners race to rescue her from her confines in the Lotte World Aquarium.

In 2013 Bella was captured in the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Russia at the age of two. Along with two male belugas, Bello and Belli, she was sold to the aquarium beneath the 555-metre-high Lotte World Tower, owned by the South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group. Tragedy struck when Bello died prematurely in 2016 at the age of five, followed by Belli in 2019 at the age of twelve. In the wild, belugas can live up to 50 years.

The deaths led to public outcry, and Lotte pledged to release Bella. However, almost five years have passed since this promise, with numerous delays due to reasons including the COVID-19 pandemic. Jo Yak-gol from the marine environmentalist group Hot Pink Dolphins expressed frustration, noting the company’s repeated assurances.

Campaigners have now launched an international petition demanding Bella’s release. Dr. Valeria Vergara, co-director of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation’s cetacean research program, emphasized the social and intelligent nature of belugas. She highlighted their cooperative behavior and complex communication systems, arguing that captivity is unethical for such creatures.

Despite the thriving aquarium industry in South Korea and broader Asia, there have been legislative changes. Last December, South Korea banned the purchase of whales and dolphins for display, though the law does not apply to animals already in captivity like Bella. Campaigners are calling for the complete closure of the Seoul exhibit.

Currently, Bella is one of five captive belugas in South Korea, alongside one at Aqua Planet Yeosu and three at Geoje Sea World. Geoje Sea World previously offered packages where visitors could ride the whales, a practice that has now been banned. Experts like Vergara insist that a seaside sanctuary is Bella’s only ethical option, as she lacks the necessary skills to survive in the wild, having been removed from her natural habitat at such a young age.

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Related Content:

• Two More Beluga Whales Die at Marineland Despite Persistent Concerns
• Activists are Fighting to Release a Beluga Whale from a South Korean Mall
• Stay Away from Mysterious Beluga Whale, Norwegian Authorities Warn
• Captive Beluga Whale and Bottlenose Dolphin Die at Marineland Months After Kiska Died at Same Abusement Park
• Two Former Captive Beluga Whales Will Be Released Into World’s First Open Water Sanctuary

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