Environment & Climate
Two more beluga whales die at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium
The unexpected deaths include a whale recently transferred from Marineland in Canada and a longtime resident male.
The short version
- Shedd Aquarium announced the deaths of two more beluga whales, bringing the facility's recent losses to three.
- The deceased animals include Rain, a 20-year-old female transferred from Ontario's closed Marineland park in mid-August, and Beethoven, a 34-year-old male who lived at Shedd for decades.
- The deaths occurred amid an international initiative to relocate 30 belugas and four dolphins from Marineland to facilities across North America and Europe.
- Aquarium veterinary staff are conducting necropsies and diagnostic tests to determine what caused the unexpected fatalities.
Key facts
- Shedd Aquarium announced the unexpected deaths of a 20-year-old female beluga named Rain and a 34-year-old male named Beethoven.[Associated Press]
- Rain is the second whale from a group of four transferred from Ontario's Marineland in mid-August to die at Shedd, following the death of a whale named Peekachu the prior week.[Associated Press]
- Shedd committed to taking 10 beluga whales as part of a broader operation to rehome 30 belugas and four dolphins from the closed Canadian park.[Associated Press]
- Provincial records obtained through freedom of information requests show that 20 whales, including 19 belugas and one killer whale, died at Marineland between 2019 and the relocation effort.[Associated Press]
- Other facilities receiving animals from the rescue effort include Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld locations in San Diego and San Antonio, and Oceanogràfic Valencia in Spain.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The exact causes of death for Rain, Beethoven, and Peekachu remain unknown pending complete necropsies, blood tests, and medical exams.[Associated Press]