Seven beluga whales trapped on the beach have been rescued by “hero” conservation officers.
A concerned local who spotted what appeared to be a group of polar bears, alerted authorities who made a shocking discovery.
The white lumps on the sand surrounded by seagulls actually turned out to be seven huge beluga whales.
The sea creatures that can grow up to 18ft long, were stranded in shallow waters.
The discovery was made on 20 Jul, as reported by Need To Know.
The group made up of both juvenile and adult whales were facing almost certain death if it wasn’t for the intervention of a group of conservation officers.
The Manitoba Conservation Officers Association were called to the scene and immediately sprung into action in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.
One “hero” officer entered the water to confirm all the animals were still alive whilst others watched on for polar bears.
RCMP and Parks Canada also provided aid by standing guard for predators, keeping them safe throughout the rescue mission.
The beluga whales were carefully repositioned to keep their blowholes clear of water, ingestion and debris.
Water was continuously poured over the animals to keep them cool and hydrated.
The officer assessed them for injuries, where despite a few minor peck marks from seagulls they were ok.
The mission continued throughout the day, as the whales were kept upright and bear bangers were used to deter scavenger birds.
As the tide turned and the water levels rose the belugas were able to swim safely back into the deep water.
A spokesperson for MCOA said: “Churchill Conservation Officers responded to a call from a concerned local who reported an unidentified object in the shallow water that was surrounded by seagulls.
“From a distance, the white objects appeared to resemble what may be polar bears.
“Upon arrival, officers discovered that the ‘polar bears’ was actually a group of beluga whales, ranging from juveniles to mature adults, stranded in the shallow water.
“As the water level rose, all the belugas were able to swim safely back into deeper water.
“A sincere thank you to the concerned resident who made the call, as well as to Manitoba Conservation, RCMP, and Parks Canada for their teamwork and dedication.
“A great example of everyone working together to protect Manitoba’s wildlife – both on land and in water.”
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