WATCH: “Unusual aquatic animal” spotted in France’s Seine river is a beluga whale

THE “unusual aquatic animal” spotted by French authorities in the Seine river, near the dam of the Léry-Poses camping and leisure site (Eure), on Tuesday, August 2, was confirmed to be a beluga whale.

Reports coming out of France on Thursday, August 4, advised that the beluga observed in France’s Seine river is “a protected species of cetacean usually living in the arctic, subarctic waters and in the St. Lawrence estuary in Quebec (Canada)” and should not be approached so as not to stress it.

According to the French Office for Biodiversity and the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations, following a study of the pictures released on Tuesday, August 2, “the animal is a beluga whale.”

Although the size of the animal has not yet been known, belugas can reach up to 4 meters in length as adults, the French authority noted.

It added: “An assessment of the animal’s state of health is underway in order to take the appropriate measures to optimise its chances of survival.

“[The animal can] temporarily survive in freshwater.”

One Twitter user wrote: “A beluga whale has strayed into the Seine river in northern France, authorities said on Wednesday, urging people not to approach the whale so as not to stress it.”

A beluga whale has strayed into the Seine river in northern France, authorities said on Wednesday, urging people not to approach the whale so as not to stress it.#EU #eunews #Seineriver #Seine #belugawhale #france🇫🇷 #france pic.twitter.com/3MCzsilrmI

— EU NEWS 🇪🇺 (@wtx_EU_news) August 4, 2022

“A beluga was spotted in the Seine, near Amfreville-sous-les-Monts. Usually, this cetacean lives in very cold waters, in the Arctic region,” wrote RMCInfo.

🧐 Un beluga a été repéré dans la Seine, près d'Amfreville-sous-les-Monts. Habituellement, ce cétacé vit dans des eaux très froides, en région arctique.#ApollineMatin pic.twitter.com/2DtdDSkUwa

— RMC (@RMCInfo) August 4, 2022

One account on Twitter wrote: “The beluga has the whole ocean within reach of his fin and he prefers the Seine? misery stripper.”

https://twitter.com/OracleDelphique/status/1555111872147464192

Another noted that in June, a killer was spotted near the Normandy bridge, between Honfleur and Le Havre, before dying a few days later in the Seine.

“A beluga in the Seine after the killer whale… hey ecologists, what do you think of your wind turbines in the ocean which disturbs marine animals? You are happy?”

Un beluga dans la Seine après l’orque … hey les ecolos vous en pensez quoi de vos éoliennes dans l’océan qui perturbent les animaux marins ? Vous êtes contents ?

— Nini liloulucaslogan (@ninijujulilou) August 4, 2022

The beluga whale’s appearance in the Seine river comes after a Walrus was found on the shore in Hamina, Finland.

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