The beluga lost in the Seine is transferred to Calvados where it will spend three days under observation before being released depending on its condition. According to the caretaker Isabelle Brasseur, he is an “ambassador” of animal fauna threatened by the state of the planet.
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“We have an extremely reserved prognosis for this animal”, explained on Wednesday August 10 on franceinfo Isabelle Brasseur, head of education, research and conservation at Marineland d’Antibes. She is one of three keepers from the largest marine zoo in Europe to have taken part in the beluga whale rescue operation. The white cetacean, released from the lock in which it was stationed in the Eure, was transported to Ouistreham (Calvados). The 800kg cetacean must be released during the day in a seawater lock in the port of Ouistreham (Calvados), before being returned to the high seas after three days of observation.
franceinfo: How was the beluga? Was it urgent to get him out of the lock?
Isabelle Brewer: It was urgent to bring him back to the marine environment and get him out of this fresh water in the lock, even if he was peaceful there and had a stable behavior. Everyone was very caring around the animal. He was put in a net and immediately we were able to put him on a barge to take him to a wharf. On this barge, during the transfer, we did the various blood and body condition tests. He was extremely thin.
How was his exit from the lock?
By taking the time and being well coordinated between the multiple services, divers, animal care workers, veterinarians, firefighters, the Red Cross, it went well. Before releasing it into the ocean, decisions will be made jointly as and when the signs presented by the animal. We cannot say today what the future will be. We’re going step by step. For the moment we will put him in a basin of salt water and we will see what effect it will have on him.
Should this alert on marine wildlife conditions?
We have an extremely reserved prognosis for this animal but we can say that it is a kind of ambassador. The media, citizens mobilize around this animal, they want to know the future of this individual. It reveals something deeper, our concern: is this planet okay? Are the oceans okay? Is it true that we have done so much harm to our planet? All those things. We would all like this beluga to survive, but if he were to die he still carried out an incredible mission to rally a large number of people to his cause or that of the oceans.