Update: Sad News For Trapped Beluga Whales

News about the rescue mission to save 100 Beluga whales trapped off Russia’s Far Eastern Peninsula of the Bering Sea took a turn for the worse on Monday. Emergency services reported they were suspending the operation because of bad weather.

Officials said the tug boat that was sent by Russia’s Emergencies Minister to break through the ice and free the whales was unable to make it through the thick ice floes leading to the spot where the whales are trapped. It returned to a nearby port to refuel and wait for the weather to calm down.

“If the weather and ice conditions in the area improve, the operation may continue,” said spokesperson Lubomir Mukha.

The Belugas were discovered on December 14 by local hunters. A wide belt of ice that is 30 to 50 feet thick is surrounding the whales, making it impossible for them to swim to the open sea.

Holes in the ice have allowed the large mammals to come up for air, but there is great concern the whales may eventually starve because food in the enclosed area is limited.

The good news is that experts from the Chukotka Fishery Research Center have calculated there is enough food in the channel to feed the whales at least until January. So keep your fingers crossed that the weather improves and the whales get another chance to be rescued.

Beluga whales are highly intelligent creatures. One of the huge white mammals was caught showing-off for a photographer at Kamogawa Sea World near Tokyo on Christmas Day. The whale is seen waving and blowing a bubble ring to the audience. 

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Photo from mikejsolutions via flickr.

134 comments

hELEN hEARFIELD
hELEN hEARFIELD5 months ago

tyfs

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William C
William Cabout a year ago

Thank you.

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W. C
W. Cabout a year ago

Thanks for caring.

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Elizabeth Conlan
Elizabeth Conlan6 years ago

All keeping our fingers crossed

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Lynda S.
Lynda S6 years ago

Great news, thank you for the update.

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Lynda S.
Lynda S6 years ago

Surely more countries than just Russia could come together to free these poor whales....Hats off to Russia for trying....keep our fingers crossed that the weather lets up and they can be freed.

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Susan Griffiths
Susan Griffiths6 years ago

Thank you Jes E. for updating us with the good news that nature has freed these whales.

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Marie W.
Marie W6 years ago

Hey Putin- just do it!

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helga g.
Helga Guillen6 years ago

I feel very sad for the beluga whales. if they are free, they never win, they will be killing by the same hunters that discovered they were trapped, is barbaric and cruel to kill this magnificents, sensible, intelligent animals, how come this hunters kill this animals for culture, for profit or for food, they have to stop they have to respect this animals they are almost like humans, and they give us a lesson of forgiveness, humans kill them, and they still trust humans, they show more compassion that the murderes hunters and goverments that are killing them.

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Eternal Gardener
Eternal Gardener7 years ago

Ta, noted the good news as well! All is well that ends well.

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