There is nothing better than a search and rescue story – no matter who it is being rescued. In late July, the Wildlife Board of the Målselv municipality (Norway) was notified that a beluga whale was on its way up a river from the sea. This raised concerns as not only was it unusual for a beluga whale to be in the area, but the river has sandbanks and depth variations that can cause a tide-trap.
A wildlife rescue operation was launched to lead the whale back to deep water but during that operation, the whale was lost from sight. Fortunately, the Norwegian People’s Aid Midt-Troms stepped in to help locate the missing whale (they are known for missions of locating and rescuing people in extreme Arctic conditions) and after using their expertise and Atlas’ drone technology, along with the great work of the forces on the ground, sea, and air the beluga whale was found and escorted back out to sea – hopefully now heading north towards the Arctic Ocean.
Further details on the rescue plus drone footage can be accessed here
