Five of the 30 beluga whales rescued in an urgent, unprecedented relocation effort from Marineland in Canada have now died.
Earlier this year, 30 beluga whales and four Black Sea dolphins were moved from Marineland to several AZA-accredited aquariums in the US and Spain – SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego, Georgia Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium, and Oceanografic Valencia.
A total of six rescue transports took place over a six-week timeframe, with the marine mammals moved in a particular order and in specific groups due to their pre-existing social bonds.
Since the rescue was completed, four belugas have died at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and another has died at Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.
In total, 30 beluga whales and four Black Sea dolphins have been rescued from Marineland SeaWorld
The latest confirmed death was Caspian, a 27-year-old female beluga who died on 7 October "despite intensive efforts by Shedd's veterinary and animal care teams to save her", the aquarium said in a statement.
"Caspian’s loss is felt deeply by the people who knew and cared for her and by those who followed her story," it added.
"Our team worked to give her every opportunity to recover. We will share what her examination adds to our understanding with the same care and openness."
Three other rescued belugas, Peekachu, Rain and Osiris, died at the Shedd Aquarium in August and September.
The aquarium said Rain and Peekachu’s post-mortem necropsy investigations identified longstanding intestinal illness that started before their rescue. Osiris’s preliminary examination identified chronic liver disease.
Jelly Bean, a 19-year-old female beluga whale born at Marineland, also died in September after being relocated to Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.
The Shedd Aquarium said it is seeing encouraging signs among its six remaining rescued belugas, who are eating their full diets and reaching new milestones in their care.
One rescued beluga whale called Cleopatra remains at Oceanografic Valencia and is adapting to her new home.
