It's already functioning, and has at least one orca. To the darker side of this facility: (Links are in Russian so appear weird, don't hesitate to view!) A pic at their site shows fresh-caught young belugas in process of training, ??????????? | ?????????? ?????????? which are kept in horrible, cramped conditions of the nearby 'Marine mammal adaptation center': ????? ????????? ??????? ?????????????, ??? ??? ?? ? ??????????? ?????? (???? & ?????) ~ ???????????: ????????????? ?????? Our president approves thus cruelty. Btw we have nickname 'Crab' for him. http://russian-aquarium.ru/assets/images/photo/004.jpg Those belugas are planned to be sold in Asian dolphinariums. As well as several orcas that were and would be captured in Russian waters. Note the terrible scars on the last pic in the report: ????????? ????? ??????-????? (????? ????) ~ ???????????: ????????????? ?????? In Russia, belugas are so cheap that they're shipped by trucks being in boxes for 10 days instead of flying by plane. ????????? ????? ? ??????: ?????????? ??????? ~ ???????????: ????????????? ?????? Survival rates are low, and some non-reported deaths are hidden by sinking the bodies with sand bags tied to tail: ?? ?????? ????? ? ?????? ??? ???????????? ? 2013 ?. ~ ???????????: ????????????? ??????
Thanks for those links! There is an English website as well: Research and Educational Centre «Primorsky Aquarium» FEB RAS | ?????????? ??????????
I also assume that their bottlenoses are from Taiji, since Black Sea bottlenoses are illegal to capture, and Japan is nearby. Bottlenoses for Novosibirsk zoo dolphinarium (in contsruction) are also from Taiji. Nobody bothers to breed and raise enough dolphins in captivity until this source is functioning. And many of calves that are born in Russia & Ukraine have died early.
When the aquarium will be opend to the public ? I would like to know the same with the Moscow Oceanrium, which got two orcas from the russian capture last year.
there was some discussion on this thread: http://www.zoochat.com/797/vladivostok-aquarium-333459/ (note that the Vladivostok Aquarium is not the same as the new Primorsky Aquarium).
News about orcas for Moscow Oceanarium. Cramped conditions are not considered to be animal abuse in Russia, even for marine mammals. And the аssholes who put cetaceans into tiny tanks always get off the hook. With help of other аssholes who're called police and love to be bribed. 'Imprisoned' Killer Whales Spark Outcry in Moscow | The St. Petersburg Times | The leading English-language newspaper in St. Petersburg
Video of orcas in temporary tank (it seems to be a circle about 15 m in diameter). http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/1255957/
Considering the new photos appeared at Facebook (as you have already found out), I must admit that I made error in scaling (though the video was too short to depict the whole tank). The oceanarium's officials say that there are 2 temporary tanks 25 m diameter and 8 m deep, connected by gate, with combined volume of 8000 cubic meters (and claiming that the standards are 2000 cubic meters per orca, is it true?!) The orcas would be moved to public exhibit in December, where will be 3 exhibit tanks and quarantine zones, total volume is said to be 30000 cubic meters. Main tank measurements are 50x30x14 (which is already 21000 cubic meters, looks like smaller tanks are really small or the officials lie).
Latest deaths: 15th October, 2015: beluga 19th January 2016: bottlenose (spontaneous allergic reaction to food, stomach spasm, Pseudomonas was found in skin & blood samples of dead and living specimens) 15th April 2016: one of belugas removed the drain cover and stuck there Several Taiji bottlenoses are planned to be bought.
The aquarium is due to open tomorrow (06/09). It reportedly has an area of 35,000 square metres (377,000 square feet) and water volume of 10,000 cubic metres (2.6 million gallons). PressTV-Underwater unique aquarium unveiled in Russia Putin hopes Russia's new oceanarium to become center of int'l cooperation - Xinhua | English.news.cn