In what may yet come to be considered the rescue of the year, Oceanografic de Valencia, Georgia Aquarium, and SeaWorld collaborated with Kharkiv’s NEMO Dolphinarium to carry out a heroic evacuation from the embattled industrial city in northeast Ukraine.
Two beluga whales, Plombir and Miranda, were rescued from Kharkiv and transported to the Oceanografic aquarium in Valencia, Spain. The complex, high-risk operation was necessitated by the growing threat to the city from Russian artillery fire, which made the survival of the mammals uncertain. The threat to Kharkiv has intensified in recent weeks, with bombs dropping within a few hundred metres of the aquarium.
The operation, carried out on June 17-18, presented numerous challenges and involved a multinational team of marine mammal experts, according to a joint press release by the three institutions involved. The belugas, a 15-year-old male and 14-year-old female, arrived in Valencia in delicate health on the evening of June 18, following a gruelling journey across the war zone.
Their evacuation included a dangerous 12-hour drive across the Ukraine from Kharkiv to the Black Sea port of Odesa in the southwest. There, the Ukrainian caregivers met the international team from Oceanogràfic, Georgia Aquarium, and SeaWorld who conducted health checks on the whales and then moved them to the Moldovan border where the European Anti-Fraud Office, part of the European Commission, helped speed up the crossing, according to the release.
A six-seater chartered plane awaited the rescue team in Chișinău, capital of Moldova, to fly onwards to Valencia where the general director of natural and animal environment of Valencia, Raúl Mérida, met them at the airport.
Carloz Mazón, president of the Valencia autonomous region, said, “This courageous rescue constitutes a historic milestone in animal protection. It is an honour that the Oceanogràfic has rescued these two belugas from the horror of the war in Ukraine. They have experienced a difficult situation in recent months, and the experts at Oceanogràfic will be working hard to help them recover.”
Oceanogràfic Valencia is Europe’s largest aquarium and the only one with belugas. In addition, it is the closest marine conservation centre to the Ukraine and is accredited by the most rigorous international organizations in animal welfare.
Dr Daniel Garcia-Párraga, director of zoological operations at Oceanografic, said the whales had suboptimal body condition to undertake the journey, given the shortages caused by the war, “but if they had continued in Kharkiv, their chances of survival would have been very slim”.
The whales are currently being kept in a secluded area to recover and adapt to their new surroundings before being introduced to the existing belugas at the aquarium. Two Ukrainian caregivers are staying with them for the first couple of weeks to help with the transition.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the dolphinarium has been evacuating animals, including seals and dolphins, but moving the belugas was a complex operation because of their size and specific needs. It required months of preparations and the participation of international experts.
“It is yet another example of how accredited aquariums and zoos respond when animals are in danger, bringing the specialized expertise and trusted skills developed by caring for wildlife every day,” said Dan Ashe, president and chief executive officer of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “It’s not just what we do. It’s who we are.”
Ashe applauded AZA members Oceanografic, Georgia Aquarium, and SeaWorld for convening an elite team of marine mammal experts to work with the Ukrainians on what is probably “the most complex marine mammal rescue ever undertaken”.
Dennis Christen, senior director of animal well-being and behaviour at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, USA, said, “The complexities of this evacuation were immense, and we have been working for weeks to prepare for it. I’m humbled to have been trusted to provide the belugas care and protection during their long journey to their new home. My heart is with the Ukrainian caregivers and the people of Kharkiv who had to say goodbye to Miranda and Plombir. It’s not an easy thing to do, but it was best for them.”
Keith Yip, an animal care specialist with SeaWorld, a leading marine life theme park chain and accredited zoo and aquarium, said, “The belugas’ health and safety was our priority. These were challenging conditions, including rough roads, rising temperatures, and the inherent risks of being in an active war zone. The Ukrainian caregivers were very brave, and the whole team involved did everything possible to provide the belugas comfort and safety during the evacuation. I’m proud to have been able to share the specialized expertise needed to support the complex logistics for this collaborative rescue operation.”
SOURCE: PR Newswire
