Animals are the best when they are left in their natural habitats. Unfortunately, it feels sad to find animals spending their lives in captivity. However, if, fortunately, some animal gets to taste freedom after several years of imprisonment, they cannot believe their good fortune.
Something like this recently happened to two Beluga whales. The whales spent almost 10 years in captivity at a Chinese aquarium. Of course, the poor souls had to perform tricks in exchange for some fish. But, unfortunately, the two Beluga whales had never spent their lives in the wild.
The whales were captured when they were barely a couple of years old. After being captured, the Beluga whales had to spend some time at a Russian research station before being shifted to Ocean World in Shanghai, China.
After almost a decade of bondage, the two beautiful Beluga whales were rescued by Sea Life Trust, a UK-based group. They were named Little White and Little Gray. The sanctuary allowed the Beluga whales to swim freely with other Beluga. It was a first-time experience for Little White and Little Gray.
It wasn’t simple for the experts from the Sea Life Trust to transport the two female whales almost halfway around the planet. First, they were placed in specially designed sling bags. Then, the bags were made to protect their bodies.
The two Belugas were first placed in a truck and carried to a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft. Later, they were taken in a tugboat before being set free in Iceland. However, Little White and Little Gray would need some time to acclimatize to their natural habitat. Thus, they were kept at a bayside care pool.
Experts and vets stayed with the two fishes throughout the journey. They wanted to ensure that the two belugas could sustain the open sea before being shifted to a broader sanctuary in Klettsvik Bay, located in the Westman Islands. Instead, the two Belugas were happy to taste freedom after almost a decade.
