After being relocated to a Chicago facility, two whales from Marineland tragically passed away due to chronic, pre-existing diseases, the Shedd Aquarium revealed on Friday.
The Shedd Aquarium, which was involved in the relocation of all 30 belugas and four dolphins from the closed Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, clarified that the deaths of Peekachu and Rain were not attributed to infectious diseases. The necropsies revealed that the whales had long-standing inflammatory issues in their gastrointestinal systems.
Peekachu, a 23-year-old female beluga, and Rain, a 20-year-old female beluga, were among the last captive whales and dolphins in Canada, as Marineland faced financial difficulties and sought help from various aquariums.
Despite the presence of foreign objects in the whales’ stomachs, such as bird feathers and rocks, both the Shedd Aquarium and Marineland concluded that these did not contribute to the deaths. Veterinary teams from multiple institutions had cleared the animals for the move, emphasizing the complexities of their care.
While the tragic loss of the whales has raised concerns, the focus remains on providing ongoing care and improving the lives of the remaining animals. The relocation efforts aimed at ensuring the well-being of the belugas and dolphins have faced scrutiny, but the collaborative rescue mission continues.
Keyphrase: Marineland whales relocation
