Two beluga whales from a Shanghai aquarium arrived in Iceland on Wednesday to live out their days in a unique marine sanctuary that conservationists hope will become a model for rehoming some 3,000 of the creatures currently in captivity.

Little White and Little Grey, two 12-year-old female belugas, left behind their previous lives entertaining visitors at the Changfeng Ocean World and were flown across the globe in specially tailored containers.

The whales, which each weigh about 900 kilograms and measuring four meters will continue their epic journey by truck and ferry to the sanctuary at Klettsvik Bay, Heimaey, one of the Westman Islands off the south coast of Iceland.

"We have been working with Little White and Little Grey for the last 18 months to make sure that they will be prepared and ready for the long journey," said Andy Bool, Head of Sea Life Trust the organizers of the project.

The whales will still be cared for in their new netted-off Icelandic sea pen, which covers 32,000 square meters, and is 10 meters deep, because it is thought they would not survive on their own in the wild. 

Little White and Little Grey will still see tourists, with a visitor center built at the site and plans for small groups to be able to approach the whales by boat. 

AFP