Stranded beluga whale rescued from France’s Seine river dies
- Authorities said the 800-kilogram cetacean, which was lifted from the river by a net and crane, had to be euthanised during transfer to a saltwater pen
- The beluga, a protected species usually found in cold Arctic waters, was stranded in the Seine river for more than a week
An ailing Beluga whale that strayed into France’s River Seine has died during a last-ditch rescue attempt, experts having decided to put the animal down to prevent further suffering, local officials said on Wednesday.
The fate of the animal has captured the hearts of people across the world since it was first spotted in the highly unusual habitat of the river that flows through Paris, far from its usual Arctic waters.
Rescuers had overnight winched the male out of the River Seine for transfer to a saltwater pen, in a delicate final effort to save the life of the ailing mammal, which was no longer eating.
“Despite an unprecedented rescue operation, we must announce with sadness that the cetacean has died,” the authorities in the Normandy region of Calvados tweeted, adding that the whale had to be put down during transport.
After nearly six hours of work by dozens of divers and rescuers, the 800-kilogramme cetacean was lifted from the river by a net and crane at around 4am (local time) and placed on a barge under the immediate care of a dozen veterinary surgeons.
The beluga was then given a health check and driven in a refrigerated truck at a deliberately slow speed to the coastal town of Ouistreham to the north where experts decided to end its suffering.