Several beluga whales relocated from Marineland in Niagara Falls to Chicago's Shedd Aquarium are being monitored around the clock after a series of deaths, the Chicago facility said in an update Friday.
Immediate care and monitoring
Shedd staff said teams are tracking the animals' hydration, breathing rates, swim patterns, social interaction and other behaviours as they await lab results and further investigation into the fatalities.
"Some of the rescued belugas are showing more encouraging signs than others, but several have presented clinical concerns," Shedd wrote in its statement.
The Shedd briefing followed earlier reports that three whales had died at the Chicago facility within a week. Two of those were identified as belugas transferred from Marineland, the Niagara Falls theme park that closed after running out of money.
Known animal statuses
Public information from Shedd and media reports list the following:
- Peekachu — a beluga moved from Marineland; died on Aug. 25, about two weeks after relocation.
- Rain — a 20-year-old beluga moved from Marineland to Chicago in mid-August; reported dead.
- Unnamed Chicago beluga — a 34-year-old whale that had lived in Chicago for decades; also reported dead.
| Beluga | Origin | Reported status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peekachu | Marineland, Niagara Falls | Died | Died Aug. 25, ~two weeks after move |
| Rain | Marineland, Niagara Falls | Died | 20 years old; moved mid-August |
| Unnamed | Chicago | Died | 34 years old; long-time Chicago resident |
Local consequences and context
The deaths and the continued health issues among the transferred belugas arise from the larger context of Marineland's closure after it ran out of money. The relocation of animals to multiple facilities in the United States was part of the effort to rehome the park's remaining marine mammals.
Shedd's statement emphasises uncertainty about the remaining animals' conditions and notes that their state may fluctuate: "Their condition can change from day to day and, at times, hour to hour." The aquarium said it is awaiting laboratory results as it continues to investigate the recent deaths.
For Niagara Falls residents, the situation highlights the lasting animal welfare and public-accountability questions tied to Marineland's shutdown and the subsequent transfers of its marine mammals to other institutions.
