The Georgia Aquarium's announcement that it will no longer take dolphins or whales caught in the wild drew support from activists.

But they called on the Atlanta attraction to do more - noting that the National Aquarium in Baltimore plans to move it’s dolphins to an oceanside sanctuary.

The aquarium has drawn fire over its efforts to import 18 beluga whales captured by Russians. U.S. officials denied a permit application and the aquarium also lost a subsequent court fight to bring the mammals stateside.

About the Author

Keep Reading

On April 8, 1974, in Atlanta, Hank Aaron smashed baseball’s home run record. Our special coverage celebrating the 50th anniversary of this magical moment has begun online and in our print editions. There’s still more to come as Monday’s historic anniversary arrives.

Credit: Richard Watkins

Featured

Travelers wait in Concourse F, the international terminal, at Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com