3rd Beluga Whale Dies At Mystic Aquarium

MYSTIC, CT — A third beluga whale transferred to Mystic Aquarium from Marineland in Canada in May 2021 has died. Kharabali had been in the aquarium's intensive care facility for the last 11 days.

"This loss weighs heavily on us, especially our animal care staff," the aquarium wrote on its Facebook page."It is defeating and disheartening as the team works fiercely and with immense compassion to ensure these whales receive world-class care in sickness and health."

The aquarium wrote that their "devoted veterinary and animal care teams spared no effort, dedicating the entirety of their expertise to Kharabali. They provided round-the-clock medical treatment, testing, 24-hour monitoring and consulted with experts worldwide."

The cause of the whale's death will remain unknown until a necropsy is conducted, according to Mystic Aquarium.

Five beluga whales were transported to Mystic from Marineland, an aquarium and amusement park, nearly three years ago. The whales were transported as Marineland faced "numerous challenges and much scrutiny recently, including the passing of animals, concerns about water quality, etc.," according to Mystic Aquarium.

However, two of those whales died previously: Havok, in August 2021, and Havana, in February 2022. Mystic Aquarium said that the beluga whales "were found to have underlying incurable conditions which led to their deaths that were unable to be diagnosed while alive."

Mystic Aquarium has faced criticism for its care of the beluga whales. An animal welfare group accused the aquarium of a "serious violation" of the federal Animal Welfare Act, and a USDA investigation into the death of one of the whales in 2021 was critical of the aquarium's response.

But another of the beluga whales transferred from Marineland, Jetta, has "successfully returned to the main habitat where she is now thriving after a year in critical care," the aquarium noted.

Mystic Aquarium’s Arctic Coast is the largest outdoor beluga whale habitat in the United States at 750,000 gallons, according to the aquarium's website. Beluga whales are found solely in the Northern Hemisphere and inhabit the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean and subarctic regions.