Two Beluga Whales Are Rescued From Performing As Show Animals In China, And Their Smiles Say It All

Rehoming animals is a tough job that requires a lot of responsibility. But taking two whales to a new continent in the middle of a global pandemic is about as hard as it gets. Nevertheless, it’s done. Two belugas, Little Grey and Little White, are enjoying their first taste of the sea since 2011, thanks to a relocation project that has been years in the making.

Little Grey and Little White had bespoke "stretchers" or slings to move them overland, and the team did "practice runs" to get them used to being moved via trucks, tugboats, and cranes, Padgett explained. "If you're trying to take your cat or your dog somewhere, you want them to have a positive association with travel … We had to make the belugas as comfortable as possible."