A rare Beluga whale charmed people on the side of River Thames east of London with an unexpected visit
LONDON – Dave Andrews was shocked to see a rare, rare Beluga whale swimming in the Thames, East of London and immediately tweeted the event.
“Can’t believe I’m writing this, no joke – BELUGA in the Thames off Coalhouse Fort,” the Norfolk, England, resident posted on Twitter Tuesday.
Can't believe I'm writing this, no joke – BELUGA in the Thames off Coalhouse Fort @RareBirdAlertUK pic.twitter.com/6VtrJ1PVc6
— Dave Andrews (@iPterodroma) September 25, 2018
Andrews describes himself on his Twitter account as an ecologist and ornithologist and spotted a Beluga whale peacefully swimming in the river Thames, far away from its habitat. A social media frenzy ensued, as this event is as rare as UFOs.
However, Andrews was not he only one to get it on camera. Sky News immediately took action and caught the magnificent sea animal on camera from a helicopter located above the river.
A beluga whale has been caught on camera in a rare sighting in the Thames.
For more, head here: https://t.co/SmxvSFtBRB pic.twitter.com/ZIqcWJwwzc
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 25, 2018
After that, the Natural History Museum in London declared: “The white body colour, absence of a prominent dorsal fin, bulbous forehead and general swimming motion all suggest very strongly that this is a beluga whale.”
More interesting is that the whale was still in the river on Wednesday and even received a name: Benny!
'Benny' the beluga whale seen from the air as @ORCA_web explains the potential risks it faces while stranded in Thames https://t.co/fSTu5PEFvL pic.twitter.com/HRP2cYarqO
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) September 26, 2018
For now, no rescue is necessary.
Source: npr.org
