Valium, health checks and fabric slings: the complex logistics of moving 30 beluga whales
Canada has reached a tentative deal for 30 belugas in an amusement park to be shipped to four aquariums in US
TL;DR
- Canada is nearing a deal to export 30 beluga whales and four dolphins from Marineland amusement park to four U.S. aquariums.
- The move follows the rejection of Marineland's plan to sell the whales to China, which would have resulted in continued captivity for public entertainment.
- The transportation process requires veterinary health checks, sedation with Valium, and placement in specialized 'whale transport boxes' with controlled saltwater levels.
- Transport will likely involve trucks and airplanes, with the Lockheed C-130 Hercules being a favored aircraft.
- Animal welfare groups have expressed concerns about the whales' future, with some disappointed they won't go to a proposed sanctuary and others emphasizing the need to prevent breeding in captivity.
- Marineland stated gratitude for the export permit approval, prioritizing the whales' lives.