Beluga Whale Dies At Shedd Aquarium After Rescue From Closed Marine Park In Canada

CHICAGO — One of eight beluga whales rescued by the Shedd Aquarium from a shuttered marine park in Canada has died, the aquarium announced Wednesday.

Peekachu, a 23-year-old female, died suddenly Tuesday evening as teams worked to get her medicine and fluids, according to Andrew Pulver, vice president of animal care for the Shedd.

“We cannot emphasize enough that rescue is a step-by-step process for these whales, and that we truly are on a day-by-day basis in relation to their care and wellbeing,” Pulver wrote in a post on the Shedd’s website.

Peekachu was among a group of four whales that arrived Aug. 13 at the Shedd, the second quartet the aquarium has transported in recent months from a pod of 30 belugas who had been living at Marineland of Canada in Ontario, which has been closed for nearly two years.

Peekachu was blind in one eye and relatively small but had little trouble socializing and navigating her new habitat, according to Pulver, who wrote that after her rescue, she showed early signs of progress, eating and demonstrating interest in her care team.

But Peekachu wasn’t eating consistently, and blood samples on Tuesday indicated dehydration and a need for supportive care, Pulver wrote, adding a necropsy report may offer more insight into her health and cause of death.

The Shedd has previously said it was prepared to take up to 10 belugas from Marineland, which has been cited by the government for animal welfare concerns, is no longer willing or financially able to care for the whales, and threatened that the animals would be euthanized if long-term solutions were not found. The Shedd is one of several organizations participating in the rehoming effort.

“While our time with Peekachu was shorter than any of us hoped, she made an immediate and lasting impression on all of us who had the chance to meet her,” Pulver wrote. “She is emblematic of our belief that every life matters, and she will be greatly missed.”