2 captive beluga whales rehomed in Iceland

[Still Waters]

Two beluga whales from a Shanghai aquarium have returned to the sea in an Icelandic sanctuary, conservationists said Monday, expressing hopes of creating a model for rehoming some 300 belugas currently in captivity.

Little White and Little Grey, two 13-year-old females, left behind their previous lives entertaining visitors at the Changfeng Ocean World in June 2019 when they were flown to Iceland's Klettsvik Bay in the Westman Islands, in specially tailored containers.

On Friday, they were moved from their landbased facility to care pools in the sea at Klettsvik Bay -- the first time the two belugas have been in the sea since they were taken from a Russian whale research centre in 2011, the conservation charity Sea Life Trust said in a statement on Monday.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/captive-beluga-whales-released-into-iceland-sea-sanctuary/ar-BB17MkOG?

Video:

https://news.sky.com/video/beluga-whales-rescued-from-captivity-are-rehomed-in-iceland-12046305

[SHaYap]

I hope they can handle the trauma of being in the wild after a lifetime of easy living in captivity. 

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[Still Waters]

Update:

Quote

Beluga whales enjoy new freedom after years of captivity - but there are still hurdles

Little Grey and Little White have been released from their pools and given the freedom of the bay.

They cannot swim off to sea but they do have new challenges - rocks, fish and depth changes.

After 10 years in the clear water of an aquarium, this is all new.

For a decade, they didn't feel rain; now they get to swim freely. For a decade, they had to entertain humans; now, away from captivity, they get to revel in their own lives.

https://news.sky.com/story/beluga-whales-enjoy-new-freedom-after-years-of-captivity-but-there-are-still-hurdles-12084032

 

[Kismit]

On 8/11/2020 at 2:24 AM, third_eye said:

I hope they can handle the trauma of being in the wild after a lifetime of easy living in captivity. 

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Animals can be very adaptive. My husband liberated 2 baby wood pigeons from their nest when they were only a few days old. (That made me very angry).

Even though I had a new born, who was feeding every 4 hours, I raised both chicks, on a watery oat mix every 4hours too.

They grew and we released them. I was very worried that they would not survive, because I couldn't teach them where to find food.

They did more than fine on their own and stayed part of the family for several years, even through house moves.

They were very cool and would swoop down and land on your shoulder when you came home. Very loving birds.

https://images.app.goo.gl/NHNEHFqbCYKSr3Eq9

[SHaYap]

3 hours ago, Kismit said:

They grew and we released them. I was very worried that they would not survive, because I couldn't teach them where to find food.

All fine and great but the ocean is a whole different ecosystem for a mammal... 

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[Kismit]

1 minute ago, third_eye said:

All fine and great but the ocean is a whole different ecosystem for a mammal... 

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I hope they are ok too