Irkutsk “Nerpanarium” (Baikal Seal Aquarium) offers a patriotic seal show. Trained Baikal Lake seals wear military berets, hold guns, flags while “marching” and performing mine clearance.
“The patriotic military show is open for admission year round. Among visitors we have had veterans and those who were involved in local conflicts. People were inspired and joyful after the show,” director Evgeny Baranov says. First show was performed on May7 to commemorate Victory Day.
Given his sentimental attachment to charismatic mammals the President of Russia would, probably, love to attend such a parade…
![clip_image002[4]](https://www.transrivers.org/media/clip_image00243.jpg "clip_image002[4]")
Source: Vesti Irkustk and http://weirdrussia.com/2015/05/08/baikal-seals-commemorate-victory-day/
However Rivereditor believes that this is really weird way to commemorate WWII.
Besides that the Baikal seal is the most known symbol of Lake Baikal Heritage site. Militarization of this symbol is inappropriate and leads to wrong interpretation of Lake Baikal global values, especially now, when large part of the Russian society fell a victim to aggressive chauvinistic hysteria.
P.S. Ukrainian-looking blue and yellow banner held by a seal shows that in this case we see not well thought-through propaganda scheme, but likely just an unconscious attempt to perform something compatible with militarized public sentiment of the country.