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Bottlenose dolphins breaching

Landmark report reveals UK wildlife’s devastating decline

With whales and dolphins already facing many threats, a landmark report released this week reveals...
Dolphins with oil rig

Go ahead for new UK oil and gas exploration threatens whales and dolphins

Permission has been granted for the development of the UK's biggest untapped oilfield off Shetland,...
Icelandic hunting vessels in port

Whaling boat kept in port after more hunt cruelty exposed

Icelandic whale hunting fleet One of the whaling boats involved in the latest hunts in...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of...
All policy news
  • All policy news
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Stop whaling
  • Strandings
Sperm whale © Douglas Hoffman

Featured policy news item

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc magna elit, gravida at lectus vitae,...
sea_world_orlando_rob_lott

Holiday giant Thomas Cook stops selling tickets to Seaworld and Loro Parque

Holiday giant Thomas Cook stops selling tickets to Seaworld and Loro Parque Following a three...

Endangered Southern Resident orca loses newborn calf

In heartbreaking news from the Pacific Northwest, the Center for Whale Research has reported that...
srkw_shoup_2003_text

U.S. Defense Bill weakens protections for whales

24 July 2018, Plymouth, MA: The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act conference report was released...
All news
  • All news
  • About whales & dolphins
  • Corporates
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Green Whale
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Scottish Dolphin Centre
  • Stop whaling
  • Stranding
  • Whale watching
Bottlenose dolphins breaching

Landmark report reveals UK wildlife’s devastating decline

With whales and dolphins already facing many threats, a landmark report released this week reveals...
Dolphins with oil rig

Go ahead for new UK oil and gas exploration threatens whales and dolphins

Permission has been granted for the development of the UK's biggest untapped oilfield off Shetland,...
Icelandic hunting vessels in port

Whaling boat kept in port after more hunt cruelty exposed

Icelandic whale hunting fleet One of the whaling boats involved in the latest hunts in...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of...
All policy news
  • All policy news
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Stop whaling
  • Strandings
Sperm whale © Douglas Hoffman

Featured policy news item

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc magna elit, gravida at lectus vitae,...
sea_world_orlando_rob_lott

Holiday giant Thomas Cook stops selling tickets to Seaworld and Loro Parque

Holiday giant Thomas Cook stops selling tickets to Seaworld and Loro Parque Following a three...

Endangered Southern Resident orca loses newborn calf

In heartbreaking news from the Pacific Northwest, the Center for Whale Research has reported that...
srkw_shoup_2003_text

U.S. Defense Bill weakens protections for whales

24 July 2018, Plymouth, MA: The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act conference report was released...

Preparations for beluga whale move to Iceland continue

Beluga whales - Little Grey and Little White

Ahead of the relocation of Little White and Little Grey to the world’s first open water sanctuary for beluga whales this April, yesterday we gave international media the opportunity to discover how this epic 6,000 mile journey will be delivered to plan and also speak to some of the expert team involved in making this a smooth trip for the two whales.

At the headquarters of Cargolux, our fantastic project transport partner, situated at Luxembourg airport, media were given the chance to step inside the specially branded Boeing 747-400ERF cargo plane that will carry Little White and Little Grey from Changfeng Ocean World in Shanghai, China, to the SEA LIFE TRUST Beluga Whale Sanctuary located in a secluded bay on the remote island Heimaey, one of the Westman islands in Iceland.

We also offered those present the chance to speak to the two Cargolux pilots who will be responsible for helping to deliver this phase of this complex, landmark project, and so help to achieve our long term goal of giving the two whales a better future in their new natural ocean home, and also bring to reality a practical solution to whale and dolphin captivity.

At every step along the way, we have always sought the highest expertise available to ensure the sanctuary is success and that the welfare of the two belugas is paramount. That also extends to the pilots involved in the transportation phase, with Cargolux providing two of their most experienced flight team to fly the plane in April – Claude and Claude.

Speaking to WDC, Claude Zehren a 21-year veteran with Cargolux and captain on the 747 for the past 14 years, said he was extremely excited to be given the opportunity to be part of the team that would be bringing the belugas home to the sea. His colleague and fellow pilot, Claude Konsbrück, Vice-President Flight Operations at Cargolux said that in many ways the flight was pretty much standard but that this time they would have some very special guests onboard when the plane take off from China in a few weeks.

Check out the quick film here which also features our own captivity campaigner, Rob Lott and Rob Hicks from Sea Life.

[shariff]

About George Berry

George is a member of WDC's Communications team and website coordinator.

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