Marine mammal care specialists from Oceanogràfic de Valencia, Georgia Aquarium and SeaWorld assisted the NEMO Dolphinarium in Ukraine on in an heroic rescue of two beluga whales from the war-ravaged region of Kharkiv. The city is facing increasing threat from artillery fire, which has intensified in recent weeks, with bombs dropping within a few hundred meters of the aquarium.
The high-risk, complex rescue operation presented numerous challenges and required multi-national collaboration. The belugas, a 15-year-old male named Plombir and a 14-year-old female named Miranda, arrived in Valencia in delicate health, following a gruelling journey across the war zone. Their evacuation included a dangerous 12-hour drive from Kharkiv to Odesa. From there the Ukrainian caregivers met the international team from Oceanogràfic, Georgia Aquarium and SeaWorld who quickly conducted health checks and continued onward to Moldova border where the European Anti-Fraud Office, part of the European Commission, served a crucial role in speeding up the border crossing. A six-seater chartered plane awaited the rescue team in Chisinau to fly onward to Valencia where the General Director of Natural and Animal Environment of Valencia, Raúl Mérida, met the rescue team at the Valencia airport.
The president of the Valencia region Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón, said: “This courageous rescue constitutes a historic milestone worldwide in terms of animal protection. It is an honour that the Oceanogràfic has rescued these two belugas from the horror of the war in Ukraine. They have experienced a difficult situation in recent months, and the experts at Oceanogràfic will be working intensely to help them recover.”
Oceanogràfic Valencia is the largest aquarium in Europe and the only one on the continent that has belugas in its facilities. In addition, it is the closest marine conservation centre to Ukraine and is accredited by the most rigorous international organisations in animal welfare.
Since the war began in 2022, the dolphinarium has been bravely evacuating animals, including seals, sea lions and dolphins, as quickly as it could, but moving belugas is an extremely complex logistical operation due to their size and specific needs. It required months of preparations and the participation of international experts.
The belugas are being provided with a specialized team of medical, nutritional and behavioural experts at Oceanografic to assist in recovery from the traumas they have endured. Two Ukrainian caregivers are staying with them for the first couple weeks to help with their transition and care.