A New Home!

How did two whales recently travel halfway around the world? No, they didn’t swim. Instead, they made the journey by truck, plane, and boat! 

The two beluga whales, named Little Grey and Little White, started their 6,000-mile trip in China and ended it in their new home in Iceland. The unusual journey took years to plan, but conservationists say all the effort was worth it. The whales were moved from a small aquarium where they had little room to swim to the world’s first open-water sanctuary for their species.

Both Little Grey and Little White have spent much of their lives in captivity. Ten years ago, they were captured in the Arctic Ocean and taken to an aquarium in China. New owners bought the aquarium in 2012 and later teamed up with two conservation groups to set up a place where the whales could have a better life.

During their trip to Iceland, Little Grey and Little White required a lot more care than most travelers do. Each whale eats about 55 pounds of fish a day—and weighs more than 2,000 pounds. Cranes and special tanks were needed to move them.

The Beluga Whale Sanctuary is in a large bay that has a rich variety of seaweed, kelp, and fish for the whales to feed on. Its cool waters are similar to those of the whales’ original Arctic home. An underwater net blocks the bay’s entrance to protect the pair from predators.

The belugas may even get some companions. The sanctuary is looking forward to welcoming more beluga whales in the future.