Beluga whale Peekachu dies weeks after rescue from shuttered Canadian marine park
Peekachu, along with a pod of eight other female whales, arrived earlier this month at Shedd Aquarium from Marineland of Canada, a shuttered marine park in Ontario that has been closed for nearly two years.
FILE: Famous beluga whale greets volunteers with 'high five'
The world’s most famous beluga whale, Hvaldimir, showed off high-fiving skills earlier this year, when he skidded past a boat of volunteers near Flatanger, Norway.
THE TAKEAWAY
- A 23-year-old beluga whale named Peekachu died just weeks after arriving at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.
- The aquarium said Peekachu was being treated for dehydration when she died.
- A necropsy is underway to determine what contributed to her death.
CHICAGO – A 23-year-old beluga whale died suddenly at a Chicago aquarium, shortly after being rescued from a closed marine facility in Canada.
Peekachu, a mature female beluga whale, died Tuesday evening as teams worked to provide her with medicine and fluids, Shedd Aquarium said in a press release.
Peekachu, a 23-year-old female Beluga whale, died suddenly this week. A necropsy is expected to provide more information about her health and what may have led to her death.
(Shedd Aquarium)
After not consistently eating her full diet, the Shedd Aquarium team received blood samples that showed concerning results, that she was dehydrated and needed supportive care.
"While it’s frustrating not to know more specific answers to her passing now, a necropsy report may provide a better understanding of Peekachu’s overall health before she passed and what might have led to her death," Shedd Aquarium said in a press release.
FROM MANATEES TO MAMMALS, ZOO ANIMALS TURN TO ACUPUNCTURE FOR SPECIALIZED CARE
So far, 24 of Marineland’s 30 beluga whales have been relocated: eight to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, nine to SeaWorld San Antonio, three to SeaWorld San Diego, two to Georgia Aquarium and two to Oceanogràfic València in Spain.
(Brenna Hernandez / Shedd Aquarium Sources)
Before her death, Peekachu was known for being "energetic and confident." Though she was blind in one eye, Shedd Aquarium said she "had little trouble socializing and finding her way around a new habitat."
DEAD, PREGNANT ENDANGERED FIN WHALE FOUND ON BOW OF ALASKA CRUISE SHIP
Peekachu, along with a pod of eight other female whales, arrived earlier this month at Shedd Aquarium from Marineland of Canada, a shuttered marine park in Ontario that had been closed and nonoperational for nearly two years.
The Niagara Falls marine park closed to the public in September 2024, and its 30 belugas remained on the property until relocation operations began in July.
Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, which welcomes about 2 million visitors annually, is caring for seven belugas rescued from Marineland of Canada in its 3-million-gallon Abbott Oceanarium.
(Brenna Hernandez / Shedd Aquarium Sources)
Shedd Aquarium is one of four U.S. aquariums, in addition to a location in Spain, to rescue belugas from the shuttered Canadian marine park as part of an international rescue effort to rehome the mammals.
SOMETHING IS LURKING BENEATH THE EVERGLADES — AND FLORIDA’S FROGS AND SALAMANDERS ARE AT RISK
"From the outset of this rescue, we understood each animal would be navigating a significant transition and that their complete health picture, including conditions that may have developed over time, could only become clearer through ongoing assessment and care," Shedd Aquarium said in the press release.
Before their rescue, the belugas had remained at the closed Marineland of Canada facility in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where they were held after the park shut its doors to the public in 2024. This aerial view shows various belugas still held in captivity at the now closed Artic Cove exhibit, at Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Canada, on November 13, 2025
( Daphné LEMELIN / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
In the days following her rescue from the Marineland of Canada, Shedd Aquarium said Peekachu "showed early signs of progress as she ate squid, herring and capelin from caretakers and checked out the care team from the underwater windows as they monitored the progress of the rescues."
Marineland said in a statement to The Canadian Press that it was "deeply saddened" by Peekachu’s death and expressed confidence in Shedd Aquarium’s care.