Four beluga whales were transported from Toronto to Chicago by aircraft on Monday as part of a rescue mission to help safeguard the endangered species.
The belugas – a species that until 2017 was listed as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – are some of up to ten to be moved from Marineland of Canada, a closed marine park no longer able to care for them, to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. In all, some 30 whales will be relocated from Marineland to five other institutions that specialise in beluga whale care.
Pictures from the journey show the whales being hoisted in harnesses into large blue tanks by a crew of crane operators and handlers before being loaded onto the plane.
The four females, named Acadia, Osiris, Sierra and Lillooet, range in age from 21 to 27 years old. They were specifically chosen to travel together in a sub-pod because of their close social bond.
They were accompanied by vets that specialised in marine mammal medicine, and animal care specialists.
“This moment marks the next chapter for these rescued belugas,” said 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 acclimatise to their new environment.”