Public Coalition "Free Russian Whales"

Proof of Success in the Wild for Orcas Freed from Whale Jail Released for the First Time

It has been five years since the last of the animals held in Russia’s infamous Whale Jail in Primorye were released on November 10, 2019. At that time, skeptics argued that orcas and belugas, after enduring a year in captivity, would not survive in the wild. Since then, belugas have dispelled this claim, becoming well-known sightings in southern Primorye. However, the fate of the released orcas has remained largely unknown—until now.

“After enduring harsh conditions in captivity, orcas can not only return to their natural lives in the ocean but can also reconnect socially, becoming full members of wild orca pods,” said Ekaterina Dzhikiya, biologist and member of the "Free Russian Whales" coalition, at the XIII International Conference “Marine Research and Education - MARESEDU 2024” in Moscow. This conference marked the first time the scientific community was presented with clear evidence of the released orcas’ successful reintegration into the wild. Using data from field observations and extensive social media records, Ekaterina documented encounters of released orcas in Russian Far East waters. Results show that at least three of the ten orcas released into the Sea of Okhotsk in 2019 have adapted successfully to life in the wild and have integrated with other orca pods.

The female orca known as Zina has been most frequently observed. Released on July 16, 2019, she was first spotted again on August 20, about 250 km from the release site, by coalition member and biologist Grigory Tsidulko. Zina was seen with a group of five orcas, bearing a half-detached satellite tag on her fin—a marker used to identify orcas released from Whale Jail. Zina actively took part in hunting and sharing prey, signaling her full acceptance into the group.

Zina was seen again on September 5, 2019, by scientists from the VNIRO expedition. By this time, her satellite tag had fallen off, leaving only the scars from.

Next time Zina was sighted with the pod five years later, near the Shantar Islands, on August 9 and 16, 2024. An employee of the whale-watching company Far Eastern Expeditions captured her in photos and videos, which scientists used to identify her by the unique eye/saddle patches and scars left by the satellite tag.

Two other orcas released from Whale Jail were observed on October 8, 2023, near the port of Nakhodka in southern Primorye. Eyewitnesses recorded a group of eight orcas, including two juveniles with scars from lost tags. From these images, scientists confirmed that one of the orcas was Vasilievna, released on June 27, 2019.

The second marked orca was not identified yet, but also had scars from satellite tag. Due to similar size of both animals it is believed that this orca was one of the ten released from the whale jail.

“Our research shows that orcas have far greater adaptive capacity than previously thought,” said Ekaterina Dzhikiya. “This proves that returning them to the wild is both achievable and beneficial.”
The orcas and belugas held in the Whale Jail were the last cetaceans captured in Russia. Today, the capture of these animals in Russian waters is effectively banned. Now, only one captive orca remains in Russia—Naya, held at Moskvarium. Her companions, Narnia and Nord, as well as a calf, have since died.
The "Free Russian Whales" coalition continues to advocate for Naya’s rehabilitation and release. The success of the Whale Jail release shows that these animals can recover the abilities essential to survival at sea and reunite with wild pods. Naya now languishes alone in a concrete tank, yet she deserves a chance at freedom. Over 130,000 people have already signed a petition for her release and an end to marine mammal shows at Moskvarium https://clck.ru/3EXQpn

Notes for Editor:
Reliable identification of individual orcas requires high-quality photo and video footage, captured from specific angles—a challenge even for scientists. Consequently, having identified three out of the ten released orcas does not indicate the others have died. It’s quite possible that further sightings will be recorded in the future.

Credit of Photos and Videos:
Grigory Tsidulko, Baht Mavlanov, Alexander Danadoev, Andrey Melnikov, Anastasia Sokurova
For Additional Information:
Ekaterina Dzhikiya +7 915 060 6156
Grigory Tsidulko +7 910 441 9841
Olga Belonovich +64 210 863 5468