When GNN reported last week that Canadian and US authorities approved the emergency transfer of some 30 beluga whales from a closed theme park in Ontario, little had been released about how one goes about moving a several ton marine mammal across state boundaries.
Then, news broke that 4 of those 30 whales had already arrived—safe and sound—at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
Photographs released by an organization involved in the logistical effort show belugas being pulled out of the holding pool at Marineland, in Ontario, on special cloth gurneys before being hooked to a crane and lowered into special cold water containers pulled by trailer trucks.
Their ticket to Chicago was via a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 container aircraft which brought them safely down to O’Hare and onto their final destination: the Abbott Oceanarium at Shedd, where they’re undergoing health and wellness checks after the wild ordeal.
“Moving animals like beluga whales, even under the best of circumstances, is challenging,” Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums which organized the move, told CBS News Chicago.
“This moment marks the next chapter for these rescued belugas,” added Dr. Karisa Tang, lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Shedd Aquarium.
“Now that they are here, the full attention of our care and veterinary teams is on getting to know these whales and providing whatever supplemental support, care, treatment, nutrition and attention we can provide to help them acclimate to their new environment.”
Marineland, the whales’ previous home, was the center of perhaps the highest-profile case of institutional, serial animal abuse in the Western World.
With the Ontario government finally shutting down the theme park after decades of accusations, investigations, and court cases, it was unclear what would happen to these 30 belugas that had lived too long in captivity to be released into the wild.
Marineland had no more money to care and feed for the belugas, and even threatened to euthanize them if Canada didn’t approve permits to move the creatures to other aquariums, after a previous attempt to send them to China was rejected.
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Now, both the NOAA and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada have approved plans and issued correct permits to move 28 animals to 4 different American aquariums, while Spanish authorities are pending permit issuance for the final 2 to be sent to Oceanogràfic València in Spain, which already houses belugas.
Shedd Aquarium staff said there’s potentially room for another 6 of these white whales, but care and attention first must go to the 4 already here. Aged 27, 26, and 21, the 4 female belugas made for an obvious group transfer as they had bonded in what experts involved in the operation called a “sub pod.”
“We are watching closely for the rescued belugas to eat a full diet, socialize with one another, and investigate the habitat, which are encouraging signs of their progress,” said Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training at Shedd Aquarium.
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“We are cautiously optimistic as we start to see some of those initial indicators, and our dedicated team will continue to monitor throughout this process to acclimatize the belugas to their new home, caretakers, and pod.”
The Georgia Aquarium and two SeaWorld facilities in San Diego and San Antonio, are now preparing for other belugas to arrive.
WATCH footage of the transfer from Shedd Aquarium below…
SHARE These White Whales’ Long Journey To Their New Home In Chicago…