After a six-hour rescue operation involving some 80 people, the approximately 800-pound mammal was trapped in a sort of hammock and hoisted to a vehicle. There, the dolphin was immediately cared for by a team of veterinarians. The health condition of the emaciated mammal was previously described as “alarming” and a good outcome of the operation is therefore not self-evident. The rescue action can cause stress for the animal and it can be fatal.
The white dolphin was spotted for the first time last Tuesday. On Thursday, the animal was located near Vernon, more than 100 kilometers from the coast, where rescuers were able to observe it for several hours before losing sight of the beluga. Since Friday, the beluga has been stuck at a lock in Saint-Pierre-La-Garenne.
Normally such cetaceans occur in cold waters, but sometimes they appear further south. White dolphins can grow up to 5 meters in length.