What was once intended to be a routine beach day ended up becoming a life-saving rescue for this family? When they came across an animal in urgent need of assistance, they were in Canada, enjoying the day on the beaches of the St. Lawrence River. A young beluga whale became separated from its mother and became stranded on land. But thankfully, these concerned bystanders kept it alive!
Nicholas Milliard, 15, and his younger brother were having fun on the beach when they noticed the tiny animal straining against the shore. Just a few hours old, the young beluga was dependent on these two brothers for survival because its mother was unable to be found. But they gave it their all.
15-year-old Nicholas told CBC News, “We excavated a hole so that water would build and its skin would moisten. We delivered a pail of water to it every five minutes. The water level was dropping and getting water was getting harder and harder.
The parents then joined their sons, and together they were able to maintain the life of the defenseless beluga whale until assistance could be provided. A rescue crew from the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals arrived at the area within a short period of time.
It was essential for this hour-old infant to find its mother—or at the very least, another female who could nurse it—because belugas typically feed and care for their kids for nearly two years. In an effort to increase its chances of success, the rescue crew cautiously returned it to the water and introduced it to some beluga whale ponds. Additionally, some skin samples have been collected to aid in the search!
It is unknown whether the baby beluga will or did find its mother. The president of the Research and Education on Marine Mammals organization said, “For the time being, we are unsure of how the tale will turn out. Nevertheless, owing to these incredibly committed young people and their parents from Quebec, the stranded sea animal had a second opportunity.
In the video below, learn more about this rescue!
