STORY: : Marine biologists successfully move a pair of
beluga whales from war-torn Ukraine to Spain
:: The lengthy journey included a 12-hour
road trip and a flight from Moldova
:: Kharkiv, Ukraine
:: Valencia, Spain
:: Daniel Garcia Parraga, Director of zoological operations, Oceanografic de Valencia
"They didn't have the capacity to cool down the pools, they were living in water temperature of 26C degrees (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit), which is very high for a species from the Arctic. As Kharkiv's energy plants were bombed, they were working with generators for basic purposes like freezers and lighting. But they didn't have the capacity to cool down the water pools for these animals. // "To see the animals swim in the aquarium was such an absolute relief, I thought, 'I can't believe it. We have managed it. We have arrived and the animals are swimming, breathing and are still alive after this odyssey.'"
The animals, 15-year-old male Plombir and 14-year-old female Miranda, arrived at Valencia's famed Oceanografic complex on Wednesday (June 19) just after midnight in a fragile state of health, according to a statement by the Spanish oceanarium.
The lengthy journey in fragile wooden crates that started with a 12-hour road trip from Kharkiv to the port city of Odesa was one of the main concerns for the team moving the animals.
Kharkiv's NEMO dolphinarium was just 2,600 feet away from a site that was frequently shelled and the shockwaves caused severe stress on animals with such sensitive hearing.
But Garcia-Parraga said on Wednesday, the belugas were in much better shape than vets had initially expected and were adapting well to their new home.
The Oceanografic is the largest aquarium in Europe and the only one that houses beluga whales.
