20/07/2026
Some good fishey news….!!!
The incredible journey of Little Grey and Little White highlights the immense logistical and biological challenges of transitioning captive marine mammals back to the ocean.
After spending a decade performing in a concrete tank at Shanghai's Changfeng Ocean World, the two 2,000-pound beluga whales were relocated 6,000 miles to the Westman Islands of Iceland in a massive 2019 effort involving custom slings, cranes, trucks, a dedicated cargo jet, and a final harbor ferry.
The move to the SEA LIFE Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary in Klettsvik Bay marked the creation of the world's first open-water sanctuary for cetaceans.
However, decades of artificial living meant the whales could not simply be released into the wild.
They required extensive training to build up necessary sub-Arctic blubber, tolerate natural weather, and acclimate to marine flora and fauna. To assist with their transition, the sanctuary care team developed the "Little Steps" program.
This program centers around a custom-built, 160-meter circular "Intermediate Halo Habitat" anchored in the bay, which grants the whales safe access to the natural seafloor while keeping them close to veterinary teams.
Because the two belugas adapt to the vast 32,000-square-meter bay at entirely different speeds—with Little White adjusting at a more cautious pace—the team continuously monitors their comfort.
Following seasonal transitions and necessary structural modifications to their bayside care areas, the team meticulously schedules their movements between the open bay and their indoor landside facility.
While they can never be fully freed into the open ocean, this pioneering sanctuary provides them with a dynamic, natural environment to swim, dive, and explore, setting an invaluable global baseline for future marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
