Animal activists' anger after aquarium puts Santa hats on whales

It's a scene that brings laughter and cheers from visitors to a Japanese aquarium - two white beluga whales wearing Santa hats.

But environmentalists are saddened by the sight of what they say is the final humiliation for the whale in a country that hunts them down with harpoons.



The beluga whales have been fitted out with the cute Santa hats to entertain the crowds at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise on Yokohama Island.

Greenpeace said it was "unfortunate" most Japanese people only got to see whales in novelty type contexts.

With more photos.