3 belugas die at Chicago aquarium in just over a week, including 2 recently rescued from Canada
The aquarium said it is investigating whether the deaths of Rain and Beethoven are isolated incidents or related.
FILE: See it: Beluga whales relocated from closed Canadian marine park after nearly 2 years
When a marine park in Canada that closed nearly 2 years ago could no longer care for the 30 beluga whales housed at the park, plans went into place to relocate the whales to new homes. In late July, relocation efforts began, with four of the whales being taken to their new home at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
THE TAKEAWAY
- Beluga whales Rain and Beethoven died Wednesday at Shedd Aquarium.
- The aquarium cannot yet determine if the two deaths are isolated or related.
- The losses come eight days after a recently rescued beluga named Peekachu also died.
CHICAGO - Two more beluga whales have died at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, just days after the facility announced the death of another whale that was recently rescued from Canada.
The aquarium said Wednesday that 20-year-old Rain and 34-year-old Beethoven died despite immediate efforts by animal care and veterinary teams to provide lifesaving care.
Rain, a 20-year-old female beluga whale, died Wednesday. She was among four whales transported to Chicago during the second phase of the rescue effort. (Shedd Aquarium)
The deaths come eight days after Peekachu, a 23-year-old female beluga, died just weeks following her arrival at Shedd as part of an international rescue effort.
BELUGA WHALE PEEKACHU DIES WEEKS AFTER RESCUE FROM SHUTTERED CANADIAN MARINE PARK
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)
Rain arrived at Shedd in August after the aquarium and other facilities were asked to help rescue 30 beluga whales from a closed marine park in Ontario, Canada.
She was among four whales transported to Chicago during the second phase of the rescue effort. Beethoven, meanwhile, had been part of Shedd’s resident beluga pod for decades.
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The 34-year-old male was born in 1992 and was the oldest adult male in the pod. According to the aquarium, he measured about 14 feet long and weighed approximately 1,900 pounds.
Beethoven, a 34-year-old male beluga whale, died Wednesday. He had been part of the aquarium for decades. (Shedd Aquarium)
Shedd said it is currently impossible to know whether the deaths of Rain and Beethoven are isolated incidents or related.
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"Necropsies, blood tests and additional exams are underway" to help determine what happened, the aquarium said in a statement.
Shedd said some answers could come quickly, while others may take more time as veterinary teams examine the whales.
The aquarium emphasized that the rescued belugas each arrived with their own individual histories, health profiles and needs, and that acclimating to a new environment can look different for every animal.
A beluga whale lifted during transport to Shedd Aquarium. (Shedd Aquarium and Brenna Hernandez / FOX Weather)
Teams had been monitoring the rescued whales around the clock as they adjusted to their new surroundings.
Shedd completed the final phase of its international rescue effort Tuesday, when two additional belugas, Yukon and Gimli, arrived safely at the aquarium.
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That brought the total number of rescued whales transported to Shedd to 10.
The aquarium said its animal care and veterinary teams will continue monitoring the remaining belugas around the clock.