A stranded and starving beluga whale lifted from the French river Seine had to be euthanized on its way back to the sea Wednesday.
The all-white beluga whales normally live in social groups called pods and hail from the Arctic and subarctic seas. The lost whale was first seen in the Seine heading toward Paris on Aug. 2.
From there, the whale was stopped from further moving by a lock on the river in Normandy, 43 miles northwest of Paris, and its health continued to worsen as it refused to eat. Rescuers believe the animal was already sick, according to Reuters.