Four out of the six beluga whales that were transported from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Wednesday have safely reached the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago by Thursday morning. The quartet of female belugas will soon be integrated with four other belugas that were relocated to the aquarium from Marineland in July during the initial phase of the whale transfers.
At Marineland, a specialized team carefully guided the six belugas into a custom sling one by one before transferring them into tanks on Wednesday. The whales were then escorted by police to Toronto’s Pearson airport. Subsequently, the two male belugas were flown to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, while the female belugas were transported to Chicago.
The newly arrived female belugas are currently settling in the Shedd’s Abbott Oceanarium, where they are being acclimated to their new environment away from public view. According to the aquarium, the transition process is being closely monitored on an hourly and daily basis to ensure the well-being of the whales.
The recent arrivals include Caspian, a 27-year-old beluga known for his vibrant personality; Peekachu, a 23-year-old energetic and confident beluga with a non-functioning right eye; Rain, a 20-year-old beluga with a unique forehead structure; and Secord, a 22-year-old beluga recognized for her long upper jaw and playful behavior with enrichment items.
These newly arrived belugas will soon be reunited with the other four belugas from Marineland — Acadia, Osiris, Sierra, and Lillooet — with whom they share crucial social connections. The Shedd emphasized the importance of maintaining familiar social bonds among belugas for their confidence and adjustment to new environments.
The animal care team at the aquarium will be closely monitoring the eight belugas round the clock, overseeing their food consumption and breathing patterns. Initial assessments indicate that the belugas are adapting well to their new surroundings.
Shedd has expressed its commitment to potentially rescuing up to two more belugas from Marineland as part of its ongoing efforts. Marineland, which ceased public operations in 2024 and is currently for sale, expressed financial constraints that led to the decision to relocate the whales.
Prior to the recent transfers, Marineland had 30 belugas and four dolphins, the last captive marine mammals in Canada. The ongoing whale transfers to the United States, deemed essential for the survival of the belugas, involve complex logistics and collaboration among various aquariums.
The Canadian government intervened in a proposed sale of the belugas to China last year, which was subsequently blocked, leading to negotiations with American and Spanish aquariums for the whales’ relocation. Other facilities, including SeaWorld in San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain, are expected to receive some of Marineland’s belugas and dolphins.
If the belugas are not relocated as planned, Marineland has stated that euthanasia might be the only alternative. Following the recent transfer, 11 belugas and four dolphins remain at Marineland, with plans to relocate all remaining marine mammals by the end of the month.
Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson commended the successful relocation of the belugas to the Shedd and Georgia Aquariums, acknowledging the collaborative efforts of various organizations and individuals involved in the rescue operation.
