VIDEO: Two beluga whales rescued from Ukraine and brought to Spanish aquarium

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The whales were brought to safety in Spain from war-torn Ukraine, where their facilities faced bomb threats daily

✨🌊 Rescatadas con éxito dos belugas de un acuario de Járkov, en Ucrania, y trasladadas al Oceanogràfic de Valencia#Oceanogràfic #Beluga #RescateBeluga #Ucrania pic.twitter.com/PefvH7BSpR
— Oceanogràfic València (@Oceanografic_vl) June 19, 2024

In the midst of the devastation wrought by war in Ukraine, a heart-warming story of international cooperation and the rescue of two beluga whales has emerged. Plombir and Miranda, a male and female duo, have found refuge and a new home at the Oceanografic in Valencia, thanks to a dedicated team of marine mammal specialists.

The NEMO Dolphinarium in Kharkiv, Ukraine, has been under constant threat since the conflict began in 2022. With frequent shelling occurring less than a kilometre away, the safety of the animals and staff was a grave concern. Among the residents of the dolphinarium were Plombir and Miranda, belugas who required a very specific and complex rescue due to their size and unique needs.

The Oceanografic of Valencia, along with American aquariums Georgia Aquarium and SeaWorld, embarked on a risky and challenging mission to bring these two belugas to safety. It was a high-stakes operation that demanded months of careful preparation and international collaboration. The distance between the two aquariums and the war-torn landscape in between made this a logistical nightmare.

The journey from Kharkiv to Valencia was long and arduous for both the whales and their rescuers. Plombir and Miranda arrived at their new home during the night of Tuesday June 18, exhausted and in delicate health.

Since the start of the war, the NEMO Dolphinarium has successfully evacuated other animals, including seals, sea lions and dolphins.

The two new additions will be given a chance to settle in away from the public and once they are fully recovered and adapted, they will join Kylu and Yulka, the resident belugas of the Oceanografic of Valencia.

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Image: Oceanografic of Valencia

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