France mobilizes to take the whale trapped in the Seine to the ocean

A beluga whale (or white whale) has appeared in the Seine River, far from its usual habitat, which is arctic or subarctic waters. The objective is to transfer it to salty waters, near the sea, as reported by the marine conservation association Sea Shepherd France.

the whaleshowing apparent signs of malnutrition, was seen on the Seine for the first time last week. The transfer operation carries certain risks, and the NGO Sea Shepherd, which is involved in the rescue operation, has indicated that it cannot stay in the warm, fresh waters of the river for much longer.

“Transferring it to a saltwater pool would allow us to better monitor it and treat it,” he said. Lamya Essemlalipresident of Sea Shepherd France.

Attempts to feed the beluga live squid and trout have failed and rescuers suspect the whale is ill, despite local authorities saying it has shown some improvement after receiving a cocktail of vitamins and antibiotics.

“This is what really matters: deciding if we can cure her suffering. That is a necessary step before returning her to the sea,” Essemlali told the agency. Reuters.

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The beluga has traveled almost half the way to Paris, until the local authorities have confined the white whale in a wide system of locks so that it enjoys a certain space and can be controlled. The operation involves transferring the animal to another navigation lock closer to the sea and with salt water. What is not clear is why the whale has strayed so far from its natural habitat.

end of may a critically ill killer whale traveled dozens of miles up the Seine and died of natural causes after attempts to move her back into the sea failed.

In September 2018, for a few days you could see a beluga whale in the river thames near Gravesend, east London. That was the southernmost sighting ever recorded: a beluga whale swimming off British shores.

“Today is a great day for this white whale and for all those involved in its rescue”has announced the NGO Sea Sheperd France through a message posted on its official Twitter account.