As of Wednesday, October 10th, the beluga whale sighting in the River Thames, England remains unchanged. Specialists closely observing the whale’s condition have determined that it is in good health. There is optimism that the creature will eventually navigate its way back to the ocean unassisted.
River Thames Beluga
Witness the captivating footage showcased in the video, unveiling the magnificent presence of the beluga whale in the tranquil waters of the River Thames.
Despite the autumnal breeze, the presence of a beluga whale gracefully swimming up the River Thames took the local ecologist by surprise. This magnificent creature, typically found in the Arctic Circle, seemed to have embarked on an unexpected journey.
On the morning of Tuesday, September 25, 2018, the beluga whale was initially sighted. News of this extraordinary event quickly spread, attracting a procession of eager nature enthusiasts who flocked to Gravesend, Kent, in hopes of witnessing this marine marvel.
Beluga whales are commonly found in the chilly waters of the Arctic and Subarctic regions in the far north. These small whales are recognized by their unique and pure white skin, as well as the protrusion on their foreheads known as the ‘melon,’ which serves as an organ for echolocation.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature, the global authority on species conservation, has classified Beluga whales as ‘Near Threatened.’ The primary threats to their survival are hunting, both of the whales themselves and the fish they rely on for food, as well as pollution.
The Thames beluga, affectionately nicknamed ‘Benny’ by the British media, appears to be a subadult—a young individual that has not yet reached adulthood. It is displaying typical foraging behavior and seems to be in good health.
However, concerns have arisen that this whale, now more than 2,000 miles away from its Arctic habitat, may have become disoriented and could struggle to find its way back.
Conservation organizations such as Whale and Dolphin Conservation have been prepared to assist in case the beluga whale becomes stranded.
Gravesend, the location where the Thames beluga was sighted, is highlighted on the map below. By zooming out, one can grasp the considerable distance the whale has traveled from its home.
The beluga whale is facing a serious threat of being hit by a ship as it navigates dangerously close to Tilbury, the main port of London. This area of the river is constantly bustling with large container ships traveling through.
Fully grown adult beluga whales can reach impressive lengths of 5.5 meters (18 feet) and weigh nearly 1.5 tons. However, even if the beluga in the Thames River is fully grown, it would be at a severe disadvantage in a collision with a container ship that stretches over a quarter of a kilometer in length.
In response to the whale’s presence, on September 27th, the Port of London Authority issued a notice that restricts non-essential watercraft from using the river near Gravesend. The notice also mandates other vessels to maintain a vigilant lookout, minimize their speed, and stay at least 100 meters away from the whale.
Benny is not the first large sea mammal to be spotted in the Thames River. Back in 2006, a bottlenose whale made its way up the river all the way to London. Unfortunately, this event ended tragically when the whale became stranded in the shallow waters and couldn’t escape.
However, it’s extremely rare for a beluga whale to be seen this far south. The last time a beluga was observed along the British coast was in 2015, when individuals were sighted in Northumberland, England, and Northern Ireland. Normally, sightings of belugas in Britain are mostly limited to the North Sea, north of Scotland.
Here at Active Wild, we are hopeful that Benny, the beluga whale in the Thames, will find his way back to the Arctic. While his presence has sparked widespread interest in the species, we truly prefer him to be back in his natural habitat where he truly belongs.