Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is leading an effort to rehome beluga whales from the shuttered Marineland of Canada near Niagara Falls. The aquarium is set to welcome up to 10 new belugas, which will more than double its current population of eight.
International Rescue Effort
The US authorities have approved an emergency rescue operation to rehome the whales, with permits from the Spanish government still pending. The whales will be distributed among five marine parks, including Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego, and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.
The rescue effort is a complex and massive undertaking, with experts from around the globe working together to ensure the safe transport of the whales. The belugas will have to swim onto a stretcher, which will then be lifted into a travel tank before being trucked and airlifted to their new homes.
The whales’ previous home, Marineland, had been considering euthanizing the animals due to financial difficulties. However, thanks to the rescue efforts of the Shedd and other accredited aquariums, the whales will now have a chance at a new life.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
