Beluga Whale Sanctuary Update

We’re pleased to confirm Little Grey and Little White are now just days away from being moved from their land based care pool into their new open water home in Klettsvik Bay, Iceland.

We appreciate people’s interest and excitement in their move, as Little Grey and Little White prepare for this next step. Their welfare remains our number one priority, which is why we ask for everyone’s patience and understanding in us not publishing the date for the first stage of their move.

There has been a huge amount of preparation and planning which has taken place over the last twelve months and during this move to Klettsvik we want to avoid any disruption which could cause the whales distress or interfere with our expert care team’s focus on Little Grey and Little White’s needs.

Our care team and independent vets will be by their side throughout the very short journey (under 45 mins per beluga) from the land-side care facility to their new sea sanctuary care area in the bay. This first step is the ‘logistical stage’ of the two-stage process that will see them released into the main sanctuary in the bay. Once they have been moved to the sea sanctuary care area, Little Grey and Little White will need a short period to acclimatise to their new natural environment and all the outdoor elements.

We plan to share the news of the whales’ final release into their open water home in the coming weeks once our team and the vets have given them a full health assessment. We want to thank everyone for their continued support, and we can’t wait to share more news once they are in the bay.

As well as helping to establish the world’s first beluga whale sanctuary in Iceland with The SEA LIFE Trust , WDC is also working in partnership with other sanctuary projects. It is hoped these initiatives will help to encourage the rehabilitation of more captive whales and dolphins into natural environments around the world, and one day help to bring an end to whale and dolphin entertainment shows.

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