Peekachu, a beluga whale that was recently transferred from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, has passed away at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The aquarium announced the sad news on Wednesday, the same day that two other beluga whales and four dolphins were being relocated to Spain.
The 23-year-old female beluga was part of a group of eight belugas that were airlifted to Shedd two weeks ago. The aquarium described Peekachu as a “unique” individual and highlighted the ongoing international rescue efforts that have been in progress for the past month.
According to a blog post, Peekachu was blind in one eye and one of the smaller whales. Despite these challenges, she had no trouble socializing and adapting to her new environment. Initially showing signs of progress by eating squid, herring, and capelin, Peekachu later experienced a decline in appetite and was found to be dehydrated through a blood test. Efforts to provide medical treatment and fluids to Peekachu were underway when she suddenly passed away on Tuesday evening. A necropsy is currently being conducted to determine the cause of her death.
Marineland expressed sadness over Peekachu’s passing but assured that the remaining whales are receiving excellent care at Shedd. Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson also expressed condolences, acknowledging the efforts made by organizations to provide the best possible care for the animals.
In a separate development, four dolphins named Echo, Lida, Marina, and Tsunami left Marineland to start a new life in Spain. Trainers spent several hours loading the dolphins and two other belugas, Cleopatra and Jelly Bean, onto transport trucks bound for Toronto’s Pearson International Airport en route to Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.
Animal advocate Kaitlyn Mitchell from Animal Justice commented on the situation, stating that while Peekachu’s death is devastating, it was not unexpected given the long-standing health issues faced by the belugas. Mitchell emphasized the importance of ensuring the well-being of the animals during transitions like these to prevent risks of illness and death.
The article also highlighted the upcoming relocation of the six remaining belugas at Marineland to a U.S. aquarium, marking the end of captive whale operations in Canada. Marineland had initially planned to send its belugas and dolphins to China, but the move was blocked by Ottawa due to regulations prohibiting whale and dolphin captivity. Following this, a consortium of American and Spanish aquariums stepped in to assist Marineland in finding new homes for the animals in various facilities across the United States.