Beluga Whale Briefly Glimpsed in River Thames

A beluga whale was sighed on Tuesday, September 25 in the Thames estuary – a far cry from its typical environment in the Artic. This footage, filmed by wildlife observer Michael Hoit, shows a brief glimpse of the whale. According to a report from The Guardian, a veterinarian from British Divers Marine Life Rescue was monitoring the beast, and spokewoman Julia Cable said that the animal was “swimming strongly and appears to be feeding, so there is no indication that it is unwell or acting strangely.” She added that the beluga may have been forced from its northern habitat by storms. According to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, only 20 sightings of Beluga whales have taken place in the UK, “but these have occurred off Northumberland, Northern Ireland and Scotland.” Credit: Michael Hoit via Storyful