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I am so happy for these beautiful creatures
Two beluga whales complete journey from captivity in China to care sanctuary in Iceland
By Dominic Rech, CNN 1 hr ago
Rehoming animals is a delicate business at the best of times. Rehoming two whales on a new continent during a global pandemic is about as hard as it gets.
After being captured at a very young age off the coast of Russia and spending years in a Chinese aquarium, the whales are about to get used to the freedom of an 8-acre sanctuary at Klettsvik Bay in Iceland.
"It's been quite the journey for these two," Audrey Padgett, the Beluga Whale Sanctuary's general manager, told CNN on a video call in front of the belugas. "It hasn't been easy, but it's definitely been a labor of love."
Back in 2011, Little Grey and Little White were moved from a Russian research facility to the Changfeng Ocean World aquarium in Shanghai. The following year, the aquarium was bought by Merlin Entertainments, a company opposed to keeping whales and dolphins in captivity.
And so the idea of taking the whales back to the sea was born.
The belugas' new home, run by the Sea Life Trust charity, is a much "larger, natural environment" with lots of potential benefits, Padgett said.
More than 300 belugas are in captivity around the world, she told CNN.
"Some belugas are in cramped and unsuitable conditions," she added. "And if what we can learn here from Little White and Little Grey can help improve welfare for other animals ... that's really the point."
Although Padgett wasn't involved in the logistics of transporting the whales from China, she stressed that moving two belugas was no easy task. They each weigh a little more than a ton and consume around 110 pounds of fish per day between them. The operation involved specially designed equipment, veterinarians and a whole lot of water and ice to keep them hosed down, Padgett said.
More>>>>>>>>>>>
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/two-beluga-whales-complete-journey-from-captivity-in-china-to-care-sanctuary-in-iceland/ar-BB17N5Vm?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=U452DHP
By Dominic Rech, CNN 1 hr ago
Rehoming animals is a delicate business at the best of times. Rehoming two whales on a new continent during a global pandemic is about as hard as it gets.
After being captured at a very young age off the coast of Russia and spending years in a Chinese aquarium, the whales are about to get used to the freedom of an 8-acre sanctuary at Klettsvik Bay in Iceland.
"It's been quite the journey for these two," Audrey Padgett, the Beluga Whale Sanctuary's general manager, told CNN on a video call in front of the belugas. "It hasn't been easy, but it's definitely been a labor of love."
Back in 2011, Little Grey and Little White were moved from a Russian research facility to the Changfeng Ocean World aquarium in Shanghai. The following year, the aquarium was bought by Merlin Entertainments, a company opposed to keeping whales and dolphins in captivity.
And so the idea of taking the whales back to the sea was born.
The belugas' new home, run by the Sea Life Trust charity, is a much "larger, natural environment" with lots of potential benefits, Padgett said.
More than 300 belugas are in captivity around the world, she told CNN.
"Some belugas are in cramped and unsuitable conditions," she added. "And if what we can learn here from Little White and Little Grey can help improve welfare for other animals ... that's really the point."
Although Padgett wasn't involved in the logistics of transporting the whales from China, she stressed that moving two belugas was no easy task. They each weigh a little more than a ton and consume around 110 pounds of fish per day between them. The operation involved specially designed equipment, veterinarians and a whole lot of water and ice to keep them hosed down, Padgett said.
More>>>>>>>>>>>
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/two-beluga-whales-complete-journey-from-captivity-in-china-to-care-sanctuary-in-iceland/ar-BB17N5Vm?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=U452DHP
5 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
