https://www.scmp.com/rss/38769/feed Belugas, also known as white whales, are marine mammals that live together in small groups known as pods in the Arctic Ocean's coastal waters. From the genus Delphinapterus leucas, they are social animals and very vocal communicators using a high-pitched twitter and series of clicks, whistles and clangs. They range from 13 to 20 feet (4 to 6.1 meters) in length and have rounded foreheads and no dorsal fin. They are slow swimmers and mainly eat fish, crustaceans and other deep-sea invertebrates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com It could be the muffled sound of singing in the shower or that sing-songy indecipherable voice from the Muppets’ Swedish Chef. Surprisingly, scientists said the audio they captured was a whale imitating people. In fact, the whale song sounded so eerily human that divers initially thought it was a human voice. Handlers at the National Marine Mammal Foundation in San Diego heard mumbling in 1984 coming from a tank containing whales and dolphins that sounded like two people chatting far... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1067846/audio-male-beluga-whale-mimics-human-speech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1067846/audio-male-beluga-whale-mimics-human-speech?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Oct 2012 01:46:43 +0000 A marine mammal expert who spent four years studying beluga whales in Russia claims the decision not to import them to Hong Kong may do more harm than good to the near-threatened species. Marine mammal scientist Olga Shpak said Ocean Park bowed to political pressure by deciding not to exercise its option to import six wild-caught beluga whales from the Okhotsk Sea. Shpak, who saw Ocean Park's Polar Adventure attraction where the whales were to live, said from Moscow: 'This decision is... https://www.scmp.com/article/980724/parks-decision-bad-belugas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/980724/parks-decision-bad-belugas?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The results of two surveys, being made public for the first time, are surprising in the light of Ocean Park's decision to cancel its import of beluga whales from the wild. In the first of the surveys, conducted in July by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Hotel and Tourism Management, 63 per cent of respondents said they supported the introduction of beluga whales at the government-owned theme park. Eighty-eight per cent said they supported bringing in new animals from... https://www.scmp.com/article/979504/survey-findings-reveal-pro-import-public?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/979504/survey-findings-reveal-pro-import-public?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Display of whales has its benefits Ocean Park was designed to bring the public up close and personal to living marine animals. This increases the value of marine life in the eyes of people who rarely have the funds and opportunity to see these animals in nature. It stimulates their interest in both wildlife and conservation. Display, exhibit and education are arguably the core conservation business of Ocean Park and other aquariums and zoos open to the public. Beluga whales are not a... https://www.scmp.com/article/978532/letters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/978532/letters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The son of the late, world-renowned oceanographer Jacques Cousteau has called on Ocean Park to help release back into the wild the six beluga whales it considered importing to Hong Kong. Jean-Michel Cousteau has written to Ocean Park chairman Allan Zeman praising his decision last week not to import the near-threatened beluga whales from Russia for the park's new Polar Adventure attraction following an outcry from animal welfare groups. Ocean Park held an option on the whales, captured in 2010... https://www.scmp.com/article/978150/cousteaus-son-urges-zeman-save-whales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/978150/cousteaus-son-urges-zeman-save-whales?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Ocean Park has abandoned its plan to import wild-caught beluga whales from Russia, following an outcry from animal welfare groups. Chairman Allan Zeman and his fellow executives decided yesterday morning to drop the option of bringing in the near-threatened species for the park's new Polar Adventure attraction, which opens next year. The U-turn comes even though Ocean Park has an option on six belugas caught in the wild last year and being kept in a holding facility in Russia and has begun... https://www.scmp.com/article/977561/beluga-whales-wont-be-coming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/977561/beluga-whales-wont-be-coming?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Ten animal welfare groups have united to urge Ocean Park to abandon its plan to catch wild white whales for public display. The demand by the Asia for Animal Coalition follows news that the park had commissioned a survey of Hongkongers to see whether they supported the capture of the hump-headed creatures, also known as belugas. The coalition has written to Ocean Park chairman Allan Zeman calling for the plan to be scrapped. One of the 10 groups said that contrary to what park managers... https://www.scmp.com/article/976630/plan-whale-show-opposed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976630/plan-whale-show-opposed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Beluga whales are classified as 'near threatened', but up to 29 can be removed each year from the wild in Russia. That is the finding of a four-year sustainability assessment commissioned and sponsored by five aquariums around the world, including Ocean Park. The study, conducted between 2007 and 2010 with the aim of developing a conservation plan for the species, gauged the whale population in the Sakhalin-Amur region in the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia's far east. Conducted mainly by Olga... https://www.scmp.com/article/976452/29-belugas-year-could-be-caught-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976452/29-belugas-year-could-be-caught-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 How interesting it is to see Ocean Park on the defensive, joining other aquariums in a desperate bid to find a way to justify their outdated existence and paying for a sponsored feature ('Looking to the Future', February 1) to tell us about it. The vast majority of this 'global community of aquariums' hails from countries where animal welfare is still in its infancy and/or money comes before animal rights. If you can judge someone by the company they keep, then the list provided is truly... https://www.scmp.com/article/738301/captive-animal-industry-has-no-place-civilised-community?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/738301/captive-animal-industry-has-no-place-civilised-community?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Fare European and Russian, with a focus on caviar. The menu has been reworked since the recession hit and many dishes are now more affordable. Ambience Cool and sleek in white, black and aquamarine, with some seating in padded light blue booths and other tables open to the mall. Makes an ideal spot for an indulgent start to a day of designer shopping. Cost HK$200-HK$1,500 for a la carte; a four-course set lunch, from 11am, is HK$290 with an extra HK$90 per spoon of caviar. Who to bring A tai... https://www.scmp.com/article/677712/caviar-kaspia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/677712/caviar-kaspia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000 Tequila Kola's store in Central (shop 228, Prince's Building, tel: 2520 1611) is a fraction of the size of its Ap Lei Chau outlet, which is why it's been kitted out judiciously. The texture-rich interior features signature pieces of furniture plus giftware and accessories. Worth checking out is its Beluga range, which has Euro styling and a touch of glam. The Beluga chair (right) costs HK$6,900, the floor lamp (left) HK$4,900. https://www.scmp.com/article/609729/go-glam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/609729/go-glam?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:00:00 +0000 Watchmaker Piaget promised those lucky few who were invited to an exceptional dinner and they didn't disappoint. Blue and silver candies sent in a specially designed box with an invitation was only a prelude. Many of the guests who turned up at the cocktail hour wandered around outside the ballroom admiring the new Protocole Collection. After dining on Balik salmon, Beluga caviar, quail consomme, sea bass and lobster, guests were treated to Piaget's own haute couture show. It featured... https://www.scmp.com/article/211415/piagets-perfect-people-watching-dinner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/211415/piagets-perfect-people-watching-dinner?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 1997 16:00:00 +0000