SeaWorld San Antonio welcomes 2 beluga whales from closed Canadian marine park

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Two beluga whales have officially arrived at SeaWorld San Antonio with 11 more still on the way.

It's an international rescue effort years in the making as they were relocated from a closed marine park in Canada that could no longer provide care for them.

What they're saying:

Two 1200-pound whales are calling SeaWorld San Antonio home and while they are acclimating well, getting them here was no easy feat.

Frankie and Bertie Botts, two male beluga whales, traveled thousands of miles to get here to the Alamo City. They’re part of a pod of 30 whales living at Marineland of Canada.

The closed marine park can no longer support their ongoing care, sparking a global rescue effort.

"These animals were in a situation where they needed to be rescued. The other option was going to be euthanasia, and, obviously, no one wanted that to happen," said Katie McCullough, curator of Animal Husbandry at SeaWorld San Antonio.

SeaWorld San Antonio is one of several aquariums who were invited to explore a rescue solution for the whales earlier this year. The aquariums were selected due to their knowledge of the species, expert animal care, and past rescue experience.

"We're good at taking care of belugas, we love belugas, and so we're more than happy and honored to be able to help," said McCullough.

Before the move, experts from the aquariums observed the whales to make sure they were healthy enough for travel. The transport also required the approval from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

"This is an unprecedented event that has occurred…but to move this many animals, it has been a massive event," said McCullough.

First, the whales are gathered in a shallow pool, then make their way into a sling for their flippers, and are cradled into a specialized cold water container. They are transported to the airport in a truck and then loaded onto a 777 cargo aircraft. 

"We're on the boxes for the entire transport, monitoring the animals, keeping them wet, monitoring their respiration," said McCullough.

SeaWorld has been working around the clock to look after the whales, provide immediate care and help them acclimate to their new homes. The San Antonio aquarium is already home to multi-generational pods of beluga whales, including eight of its own.

Aquariums in Chicago, Georgia, San Diego, and Spain are also taking in the rescued whales.

But one thing is for sure: Frankie and Bertie Botts are making themselves right at home.

"Right now, we're just kind of teaching them each of our pools. And then when they're ready, we'll start adding new friends to each pool and just take it a step at a time," said McCullough.

What's next:

Eleven more beluga whales are expected in the coming weeks, all part of the same operation.