US: Aquarium agrees to delay beluga whale delivery amid lawsuit

A Connecticut aquarium has agreed to delay its acquisition of five beluga whales for research amid a lawsuit by an animal rights group trying to stop delivery.

Mystic Aquarium will not import whales before March 31 to allow time for a judge to decide lawsuit and avoid an effort by Friends of Animals to obtain a preliminary injunction to stop delivery, according to documents filed in federal court in Hartford on Dec. 23.

Friends of Animals, based in Darien, Connecticut, filed lawsuit in September, saying five belugas would be harmed by trip from ir current home in Cana and by being torn from long-term relationships with ors of ir species.

suit was filed against Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and National Marine Fisheries Service, which approved research permit that allows Mystic Aquarium to import belugas from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

“This is a great result for belugas because it means that y won’t be removed from ir current situation and transported to Mystic until court has opportunity to determine wher permit that government issued complies with law,” Stephen Hernick, a lawyer for Friends of Animals, wrote in an email to Associated Press.

Mystic Aquarium is alrey home to three beluga whales, which are known for ir white color and vocal sounds. In Mystic, y live in a 750,000-gallon outdoor habitat that aquarium calls largest in U.S.

Aquarium officials say permit is first of its kind and will allow m to conduct noninvasive research that is vital to help boost endangered and depleted beluga whale populations. y have not said when whales were originally scheduled for delivery.

Friends of Animals claims permit violates Marine Mammal Protection Act and National Environmental Protection Act because government officials did not equately dress potential harm to belugas of being moved to Mystic.

aquarium defends research and says beluga habitat re will provide a safe, healthy and spacious environment for five new whales.