A whale sanctuary could be coming to Nova Scotia.
An American non-profit organization, made up of scientists and researchers, has been surveying the coastline for suitable spots to house beluga whales.
Charles Vinick, executive director of the Whale Sanctuary Project, says their focus is on getting belugas out of entertainment parks.
“We want to create an environment that maximizes their well-being and autonomy that’s frankly as close to a natural environment as we can get.”
Vinick says they need to find a small cove or island with an inlet that they could enclose with a net.
A bill is currently before parliament that would see entertainment parks banned from keeping orcas, belugas, dolphins, and other cetaceans captive.
“We think this is the time to create the sanctuary and then build the relationships with (these parks) who now have no where to retire an animal and to provide them with a place that they could.”
Vinick says the hope is that parks will choose to retire their animals at the sanctuary as he expects they’ll face significant public pressure under new legislation.
Because of that legislation, Vinnick says Canada was their top choice for a sanctuary.
A public information session is being held February 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre in Liverpool.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
Twitter: @BrittWentzell
Email: wentzell.brittany@radioabl.ca
