Another beluga whale that was relocated from Marineland has passed away at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The aquarium confirmed the death of Caspian, a 27-year-old female beluga, on Wednesday despite veterinary efforts to save her.
This marks the sixth death of an animal from the closed theme park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, following a significant transfer of whales and dolphins over the summer. Among the deceased are four other belugas and one dolphin that were moved from Marineland.
According to Shedd, Caspian had been experiencing feeding issues and blood tests revealed abnormalities in her electrolyte levels, causing dangerously high acidity in her blood. Although these findings helped the veterinary team gauge the severity of Caspian’s condition, the exact cause of death remains undetermined.
Caspian was placed on life support for nearly four hours before succumbing to her ailments, as reported by the aquarium. Previously, necropsies on two other deceased Marineland whales, Peekachu and Rain, revealed chronic underlying illnesses.
The relocation of 30 belugas and four dolphins from Marineland to various aquariums in the U.S. and Spain was facilitated by Shedd and other partner facilities. Marineland cited financial constraints as the reason for transferring its remaining captive marine mammals, including a beluga named Jelly Bean and a dolphin named Echo, who also passed away post-relocation at Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.
