Beluga lost in the Seine: the cetacean, too weak, was euthanized

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C.Rigeade, M.Moiroud, D.Meunier, France 3 Normandy, L.Bleuzen – France 3

France Televisions

The beluga whale rescue failed on Wednesday August 10. The cetacean died during its transfer to Ouistreham. Too weak, the veterinarians euthanized him. After six hours of effort, the animal had been extracted from the Seine in the night, at the end of a very perilous operation.

On the morning of Wednesday August 10, a few people moved around a salt water basin in Ouistreham (Calvados), where the beluga had to be brought for treatment. The announcement of his death caused sadness and incomprehension. “We thought we had a good outcome”, laments a passerby. During its transfer from Saint-Pierre-la-Garenne (Eure), it was necessary to euthanize the cetacean. “During the trip, the veterinarians noted a deterioration in his condition, in particular his respiratory activities. We were able to see that (…) the animal was in anoxia, therefore insufficiently ventilated”explains Florence Ollivet-Courtois, veterinarian at Sdis 19.

An extraordinary rescue had been attempted all night. The beluga had been lifted out of the water. It took six hours of intervention. A dozen veterinarians were at his bedside. The animal presented some wounds, and a significant loss of weight. Care failed to keep alive the cetacean. He had been swimming in the Seine for ten days, far from the arctic waters, his natural environment.

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