Stop the Georgia Aquarium from Importing Wild-Caught Belugas

The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta has applied for a permit from the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service to import these 18 wild-caught beluga whales from Russia. Meanwhile, much closer to home, 40 already-captive belugas languish in substandard conditions at Marineland of Canada.
If the permit is approved, the aquarium will transport these wild-caught whales 6,000 miles, first to Belgium and then across the Atlantic, causing the animals tremendous stress. For hours on end, the whales -- highly sensitive to noise and handling -- would be forced to endure the roaring engines of cargo planes. On top of that, the 1- to 1.5-ton animals would be transferred from one container to another -- and then one plane to another -- during their grueling journey’s layover in Belgium. It’s too much for these aquatic mammals, and it will be extremely stressful.
The 40 belugas at Marineland of Canada are desperately in need of rescue from deplorable conditions. The Georgia Aquarium could rescue them from misery, with a much shorter transport, rather than ship 18 whales 6,000 miles from Russia.
The Georgia Aquarium needs this permit to move forward with the import—help halt this application.
Please sign our petition protesting the permit application. We will deliver this petition, with all the names, to the National Marine Fisheries Service by the end of the permit application's public comment period on October 29.