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wo rehabilitated beluga whales might be helped to settle into their new open-water residence by a world-first floating habitat.
The construction, which was specifically designed and made for the Sea Life Belief Beluga Whale Sanctuary, was dragged on a 16-hour journey throughout 48 miles by a tugboat to the island of Heimaey, off the coast of Iceland.
It marks the most recent step within the reintroduction to open water of the 2 belugas, nicknamed Little Gray and Little White, who had been beforehand performing whales in indoor captivity in China earlier than being rehomed by the Sea Life Belief.
The pair had been first delivered to their new sanctuary residence in Klettsvik Bay in 2020, almost 10 years after they final swam in ocean water, earlier than being taken again to a care facility.
The brand new Intermediate Habitat construction, which has a diameter of fifty metres and weighs almost 17 tonnes, will assist the pair acclimatise to the sanctuary.
Graham McGrath, head of the Sea Life Belief, stated: “It was an epic sight to witness the Intermediate Habitat being pulled into the harbour by the island’s tugboat for the primary time.
“As a world-first undertaking, our groups are finishing up pioneering analysis which helps us to grasp the behaviours of Little Gray and Little White’s transition into the broader bay.
“As soon as this halo-like construction has been totally put in, it is going to play a significant function within the long-term success of the Sea Life Belief Beluga Whale Sanctuary and different sanctuaries prefer it sooner or later.”
Welfare information confirmed Little White particularly was struggling to adapt to some parts of the brand new setting in the course of the months they spent there in 2020.
The brand new construction was due to this fact designed in session with the whales’ welfare crew and veterinary specialists to assist the whales acclimatise to the situations of open water.
It should give the animals entry to the ocean ground, permitting them to discover the natural world, and provides them a gradual introduction to the bigger sanctuary residence.
The whales had been initially purported to be taken again to the bay final yr, however points relating to provide chains and the coronavirus pandemic meant modifications to the setting weren’t capable of be accomplished in time.
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