About eighty specialists were mobilized this morning to rescue a remarkable beluga, a 800-pound male that wandered roughly 70 kilometers from Paris into the Seine. The operation stretched over more than eight hours, and responders remained steady as they navigated a delicate balance between rescue needs and the animal’s welfare.
The beluga, accustomed to cold, salty Canadian waters, had entered the river, stopped feeding, and showed signs of mounting distress. Authorities, veterinarians, and activists stepped in to expedite the rescue, aiming to prevent the creature from deteriorating further in the unfamiliar environment. The effort was described as a coordinated, high-stakes response to an evolving emergency by Sea Shepherd France on social media this morning (Sea Shepherd France).
The beluga, a male dealing with multiple infections and reduced digestive activity, had not eaten for some time. Veterinarians attempted to stimulate digestion while investigating the underlying triggers and continued to monitor the animal closely during the intervention (Sea Shepherd France).
The animal had been confined to a section of the river since Thursday, a highly stressful situation for a creature not accustomed to freshwater conditions. A crane-operated net hoisted the beluga from the water, an approach confirmed by Isabelle Dorliat-Pouzet, secretary general of the Eure department government delegation in Normandy. The official detailed the rescue at a press conference, noting the operation carried obvious risks, and that the beluga would be suspended in a secure hammock before eventual transport, if medical tests allowed, to a sea-based facility in a refrigerated vehicle.
A long and complex operation
“It was a very long operation involving eighty people, a dozen divers, specialists, veterinarians, and support staff. We worked hard and did our best under difficult conditions,” Dorliat-Pouzet stated to reporters. The mission, while demanding, represented a concerted effort to safeguard the animal’s health during a challenging relocation. The overall cost was reported in the thousands of euros, reflecting the scale of equipment, personnel, and logistics involved. Citizens contributed in multiple ways, from offering a truck for the operation to providing materials like straw for the transport, underscoring broad community support (Sea Shepherd France).
In a retrospect shared on social media, the beluga was described as having made it out of the water after hours of meticulous preparation and labor. The initial medical examinations were conducted, with results to follow. A plan was outlined to move the beluga toward the coast for continued care, if medical tests permitted, with the aim of eventually returning it to open waters (Sea Shepherd France).
Thinner than usual
The 800-kilogram animal appeared weaker than expected, a sign that its health required close, specialized attention from marine mammal experts. If the animal’s condition allowed, it would be transported to Ouistreham on the Norman coast, where it would reside in a seawater pool for a few days. After stabilization, the plan was to release it offshore, far from shorelines where it might face new hazards. Earlier incidents in the Seine had included an orca that entered the river and remained for several days before dying from exhaustion and food scarcity, a stark reminder of the pressures faced by large marine mammals in inland waters. Experts are evaluating several explanations for these events, including noise pollution, shifts in sea currents linked to climate change, and broader ecological disruptions.
Policy and wildlife groups continue to study how harboring or stranding events in inland waterways can reflect broader oceanic changes and human impacts, while teams on the ground remain focused on immediate welfare and safe relocation for affected animals (Sea Shepherd France).