Thames whale - as it happened: Beluga 'Benny' heads further upstream towards London as fears increase
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Your support makes all the difference.A beluga whale has found itself in the Thames, dangerously close to London.
Members of the public have been asked to stay away as experts attempt to keep the sea mammal safe.
But conservationists fear that the animal might have got itself into danger after it has swum so far upstream. It is the first sighting of one of the animals – which tend to live in the Arctic – in years.
The whale spent its second day being watched by the public. As it drew to a close, conservationists will be hoping that second day will be the last, and that Benny will make its way back into the sea and won't be spotted again.
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Discussion here on the riverside turns to Benny's fortunes. The RSPCA have said that it looks relatively well, and that it appears be finding food, so could be able to last quite happily for some time. But others on the bank point out that it is in awful long way from home, and that finding the way back up the river is going to be difficult. The dreadful memory of 2006 hangs over all of this, an awful reminder that whales "don't have the best track record", as one naturalist put it.
A huge container ship is making its way past the area that Benny is currently swimming around. Another reminder that nothing steps on this river, which is a central passageway into London and is host to some truly huge ships.
Someone – apparently from the Port Authority – looks to have climbed onto the barge. Not clear what they’re doing.
A small boat has arrived right next to Benny. Again, unclear who’s on there or why.
There looks to be three people on the boat, including its driver.
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