I would love to learn more about the irkutsk nerpinary! I see so many people saying bad things without actually knowing anything. Is there anywhere you'd recommend for more info on them and their nerpas?
Hi! Thank you for the ask :)
The bad stuff I've heard is from ignorant people, like you said. They believe that all animals should be in the wild and that training them is abuse. All the seals are rehab seals who *cannot* return to the wild. The performance and photo op pools aren't their home. They have a medical pool and a large pool for the four seals that call the Nerpinary their home.
The seals also have schedules and they only perform on certain days of the week. Training the seals and giving them toys and instruments is actually very engaging and helpful for both the bodies and brains of the seals. The CEO is also a strong advocate against seal hunting :)
