Beluga Whales Take First Swim In New Home

Two beluga whales who were brought to the new sea sanctuary in Klettsvík in August, have taken their first swim in their new home, reports RÚV.

Since being rescued from captivity, the beluga whales, named Little Grey and Little White, spent the summer being rehabilitated in sea sanctuary care pools, to help them adapt to the lower temperatures and the natural ocean environment. Experts monitored the two closely and say they are delighted with their progress.

“We are ecstatic about the results that Little Grey and Little White have achieved since they moved into the pools. They feed well and have adapted well to the new, more natural environments” says Andy Bool, the head of the SEA LIFE Trust. “It was great to see the whales swimming together and diving deep. We have a strong feeling that they are enjoying being back in the sea.”

The first sanctuary of its kind

Around 3,500 whales and dolphins are kept in captivity around the world, and representatives of the SEA LIFE Trust hope that many more of them will be rescued and allowed to enjoy the natural habitat offered by the sea sanctuary.

The Klettsvík sanctuary is the first of its kind in the world, and is run by the charity SEA LIFE Trust, in collaboration with the international conservation organisation Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC). SEA LIFE Trust is one of the largest projects in the world when it comes to the care and protection of captured whales and dolphins and the first established specifically for that purpose.

Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.

You can also check out our shop, loaded with books, apparel and other cool merch, that you can buy and have delivered right to your door.