(CNN)Beluga rescued after being stranded inSeinein FranceBelugato sea died more than a week in transit, officials confirmed.
The cetacean has been trapped in a freshwater lock at Saint-Pierre-la-Garenne, about 45 miles northwest of Paris, since August 2nd. situation.
It took him six hours for more than 80 rescue workers to pull the animal out of the lock, Reuters reported. The animals were then loaded onto the barge and given a medical examination.
However, scientists were concerned by the animal's "amazing" weight loss and had to be euthanized shortly afterwards. An Essonne Fire and Rescue Service official confirmed the death via video message.
"During the trip, the veterinarian noticed a worsening of its condition, particularly respiratory activity, and was able to confirm that the animal was anoxic, i.e., inadequate ventilation, so the animal was He was clearly in pain and decided it would be pointless to release him, so we had to go ahead with euthanasia," said Fire and Rescue Veterinarian Florence Olivet Courtois.
A veteran had previously hoped that the whale would be transported to the Normandy region and eventually released into the sea.
According to Reuters, it weighed about 800 kilograms (1,764 pounds) but was supposed to be about 1,200 kilograms (2,646 pounds).
Beluga's natural habitat is in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. The best-known population is in the St. Lawrence estuary in Quebec, Canada, but the closest to the French coast is Svalbard, an archipelago in northern Norway about 2,900 miles from the Seine.
No one knows how the beluga whales lost their way, but the loss of Arctic sea ice has led to increased shipping, fishing and other human activities, It affects the whales' ability to communicate and navigate. WWF. Finding food and searching for a mate are also much more difficult for this species.
In recent years, many species of marine mammals have been reported in France, far from their primary habitat. Possible reasons could include health, age, social isolation and environmental conditions, according to France's Pelagis Observatory, which specializes in the study of marine mammals.
