Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary

Two beluga whales, Little Grey and Little White, were flown from an aquarium in Shanghai to Heimaey in 2019 as the first residents of a sanctuary project intended to move captive belugas into a netted sea bay at Klettsvik rather than keep them in tanks. The move has not been simple: the whales have spent long periods in the shoreside care pools while the bay and their adaptation were worked through, and the project has been open about the difficulties. The visitor centre in town explains the work and also houses a puffin rescue area for birds picked up by island children each autumn.

The main sights

• Two belugas retired from an aquarium - flown from Shanghai in 2019.
• A netted sea bay project - the first attempt of its kind for belugas.
• An open account of difficulty - adaptation has taken longer than hoped.
• A puffin rescue area - for pufflings collected in autumn.

When to go

May to September, when the centre keeps full hours. Two hours.

What to expect

The bay is not open to visitors and there is no guarantee of seeing the whales at all - the centre is the visit. Access arrangements have changed over the years. This is a conservation project, not a display, and it does not present as one.

Nearby

The harbour and Skansinn are minutes away; Storhofdi is south.