World News for Students of English

16-08-2022 07:00

Northwest of Paris, France, A beluga whale managed to swim 100 kilometers inland and then became trapped in the Seine River. The animal spent a week in the river, and it didn’t eat, so it became very thin and weak.

A team of 8 rescuers lifted the animal out of the river with a crane. The animal was four meters long, and it weighed 800 kilograms. Rescuers never did this rescue before.

They put the beluga on a truck to transport it to the Normandy Coast. On the way, the animal sadly had more health problems, and it was in pain. Veterinarians decided to end its life because the animal was too sick to return to the sea.

Belugas are very social, and they live in groups of hundreds of whales. They prefer cold Arctic waters, and they rarely swim in other places.

Difficult words: become trapped (to be unable to leave), crane (a tall machine which lifts and moves heavy things), veterinarian (an animal doctor).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.