Peekachu, a beluga whale that had recently been transferred from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, has passed away at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, as confirmed by the facility on Wednesday. This unfortunate event coincided with the relocation of two other belugas and four dolphins to Spain on the same day.
The 23-year-old female beluga, who was part of a group of eight belugas brought to Shedd two weeks ago, was described as “unique” by the aquarium due to her participation in an international rescue initiative that had been ongoing for a month. Despite being blind in one eye and smaller in size compared to other whales, Peekachu adapted well to her new environment and showed signs of progress initially by consuming squid, herring, and capelin. However, her health deteriorated as she stopped eating well and was diagnosed as dehydrated through a blood test. Despite efforts to provide medical care and fluids, Peekachu unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday evening, with a necropsy currently underway.
Expressing sorrow over the loss, Marineland acknowledged the efforts being made to care for the remaining whales at Shedd. In response to the news, Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson extended condolences and gratitude to the organizations involved in the rescue and relocation process.
In a separate development, four dolphins named Echo, Lida, Marina, and Tsunami left Marineland for a new home in Spain, marking the last of Canada’s captive dolphins, as reported by The Canadian Press. Animal Justice’s legal advocacy director, Kaitlyn Mitchell, expressed sadness over Peekachu’s death but emphasized that the belugas had been in poor health for an extended period. Mitchell highlighted the risks associated with transporting such animals and criticized the handling of the situation, citing previous deaths among exported belugas and the overall well-being of the Marineland mammals.
The remaining six belugas at Marineland, now the last captive whales in Canada, are scheduled to be relocated to a U.S. aquarium as part of the facility’s decision to move all its animals due to financial constraints. After an initial attempt to sell the belugas and dolphins to a Chinese aquarium was blocked by Ottawa, Marineland sought assistance from American and Spanish aquariums to facilitate the transfers, including arrangements with SeaWorld locations and the Georgia Aquarium.
As Marineland faces financial challenges and regulatory restrictions, the fate of the remaining belugas and dolphins underscores the complexities of captive marine animal management and the ongoing debate over their welfare and conservation.
