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Georgia Aquarium gives up fight to import beluga whales

ATLANTA — The Georgia Aquarium has decided not to appeal a federal judge's ruling that effectively prevents it from importing 18 beluga whales from Russia.

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg ruled in September that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service properly applied the Marine Mammal Protection Act in denying the aquarium's permit to import the belugas.

The Georgia Aquarium held a news conference Tuesday afternoon to  answer questions regarding the recent  decision.

The Georgia Aquarium released the following statement:

"Georgia Aquarium has decided not to appeal the decision handed down by Judge Totenberg. We firmly disagree with the Judge's decision, but the extended appeal process would add to an already lengthy series of legal proceedings, which would not be in the best interest of the animals in Russia. Georgia Aquarium will continue to focus on our important work at the Aquarium and in the wild to understand how we can best preserve the beluga whale species. We have an abiding interest in the conservation of beluga whales everywhere and remain committed to furthering our knowledge about this extraordinary species."

Georiga Aquarium CEO Mike Levin told Channel 2’s Tom Jones bringing the whales to the aquarium helps keep them alive.

"We need more whales so we can breed them and sustain the population,” Levin said. “Beluga whales are an incredible species. They’re almost like humans and they're just wonderful animals.”

Levin says Russia was the primary source for getting the whales, but that's out now.

He says Canada is another source and more whales could be on the way.