Another beluga whale that was relocated from Marineland has passed away at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The aquarium announced that Caspian, a 27-year-old female beluga, died on Wednesday despite extensive efforts to save her. This marks the sixth death of an animal from the now-closed Niagara Falls, Ontario, theme park following a significant transfer of whales and dolphins during the summer.
Since their relocation from Marineland, four other beluga whales and one dolphin have also perished. The Shedd Aquarium reported that Caspian was experiencing feeding issues and exhibited abnormal electrolyte levels in her blood, leading to dangerously acidic blood levels. Although these findings helped the veterinary team understand the severity of Caspian’s condition, the exact cause of her death remains undetermined.
Caspian was placed on life support for nearly four hours before succumbing to her illness. Previously, necropsies conducted on two other deceased Marineland whales, Peekachu and Rain, revealed that they had chronic underlying diseases. The transfer of all 30 belugas and four dolphins from Marineland to various aquariums in the United States and Spain was a collaborative effort involving Shedd and four other American and Spanish aquariums over a six-week period this summer.
Marineland had cited financial constraints as the reason for relocating the last remaining captive whales and dolphins in Canada. Tragically, a beluga named Jelly Bean and a dolphin named Echo also passed away at Oceanografic Valencia in Spain post-relocation. The post-mortem details of the deceased animals are still being processed, with concerns raised over their health status prior to the move.