Pamela Anderson, actress and environmentalist, has released her open letter to President Vladimir Putin, urging the Russian authorities to release "11 orcas and 87 beluga whales back into the wild, in their home waters of the Russian Far East".
"As you know, people around the world have become increasingly concerned about marine biodiversity, and about the health and vitality of whales in particular. News about the 'whale jail' near Nakhodka, the icy conditions, and the suffering of the orca and beluga whales is causing international concern. The Russian Government clearly shown its leadership by stopping the international sale of these orcas and belugas. By releasing these animals back into the wild, Russia can further demonstrate its leadership, which will be welcomed around the world", she wrote in her letter.
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According to the environmentalists, these animals were ostensibly caught for cultural and educational purposes, although the real motives behind their capture were commercial.