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Beluga whale on the Seine at Notre-Dame-de-La-Garenne (photo from August 6)
Photo: Jean-Francois Monier / dpa
There is only »little hope« for the emaciated beluga whale in the Seine.
This was said by Lamya Essemlali from the marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd on Sunday after a meeting with French officials and experts.
In order to survive, the animal must somehow get out of the lock it is currently in within a day or two, 70 kilometers from Paris.
However, authorities and experts have doubts about its ability to return to the sea on its own.
The beluga whale was first sighted in the Seine last Tuesday and swam into the lock on Friday.
The standing water there is too warm for the already ailing animal.
The species normally lives in arctic waters off the coasts of Russia, Alaska and Canada.
Essemlali said the conditions in the lock were "not optimal" for the whale.
»He is malnourished and has been for several weeks«
Attempts to feed the marine mammal and thus strengthen it have so far failed, and the animal continues to refuse food.
His lack of appetite could be a sign of illness, Essemlali said.
“He's malnourished and has been for several weeks or even months.
He didn't eat any more in the sea.« The whale apparently still has strength, reacts to stimuli and is curious.
According to the BBC, the authorities recently considered stimulating the beluga whale's appetite by injecting vitamins.
But even if this should succeed, the animal still has a long way to go.
It would have to swim about 160 kilometers down the river to reach the English Channel.
Small brown dots had appeared on the whale's skin on Saturday.
According to the BBC, it is not yet clear whether this is a reaction to the fresh water in the river or whether the discolouration is related to the animal's deteriorating health.
According to Essemlali, however, a targeted killing to spare the whale suffering is currently ruled out.
According to experts, it is only the second time that a beluga whale has lost its way to France.
The first time a fisherman caught a whale in his nets was in 1948 in the Loire estuary.
fek/AFP