http://www.11alive.com/story/news/2014/08/20/beluga-whale/14325783/
ATLANTA, Ga. — The Georgia Aquarium wants to bring 18 Beluga Whales to the US.
The Aquarium was denied their request to bring the whales here more than two years ago, but Wednesday, they will appeal that decision.
When they first asked to bring the mammals here, it started a firestorm of controversy from animal rights advocates.
The whales were collected at a research facility in Russia in 2006, 2010, and 2011.
There has been strong opposition to bringing the Belugas to the US from environmentalists who think the whales should stay put… But the aquarium argues it would do more good to have them here, where they say they can teach people to care about wildlife and serve as ambassadors.
This is a very long running fight between the two groups.
All the way back in June of 2012, the Aquarium submitted the application to bring the whales to the US.
A year later, in November, NOAA denied their application, which at the time, was unexpected.
The Georgia Aquarium filed their appeal, in October of 2013
The court will hold a hearing on Wednesday about documents the Georgia Aquarium wants uncovered.
According to the Aquarium, NOAA seemed likely to approve their request and then changed course.
The Aquarium is asking for all documents related to the decision not to allow the whales to come to the US.
There will likely not be a ruling Wednesday.
Exposing the Big Game 
“the aquarium argues it would do more good to have them here, where they say they can teach people to care about wildlife and serve as ambassadors.”
In this age of Hi Def Imax films, do we really need to use captive animals as “ambassadors”?
The same old bullshit. I thought this was decided already? Aren’t the poor suffering captives already here ‘ambassadors’ enough? They certainly have been since Blackfish. People can learn about wildlife in more productive ways than tacky sideshow attractions that should have gone out with
Elephant man-type freak showscuriosities of the Victorian era. NO.