Marineland beluga dies at U.S. aquarium weeks after transfer

One of the beluga whales transported from the now shuttered Marineland to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has died only weeks after arrival in the U.S.

Shedd Aquarium said Peekachu, a 23-year-old female beluga, died suddenly on Tuesday.

She arrived as part of a group of eight female whales and was considered “unique” by the aquarium due to being blind in one eye and was one of the smaller whales.

“Despite what could have been a limitation, Peekachu had little trouble socializing and finding her way around a new habitat,” Andrew Pulver, Shedd Aquarium’s vice-president of animal care, said in a statement.

2:05 6 Marineland beluga whales swimming in new U.S. homes

Peekachu had also shown early progress as she lived at the aquarium, eating squid, herring and capelin from caretakers and checking out the care team from underwater windows as they monitored the rescued whales.

But things appeared to have taken a turn in recent days, with Pulver writing that Peekachu was not consistently eating her full diet. They got blood samples from the beluga on Tuesday, and upon analyzing them, there were concerns she was dehydrated and needed supportive care.

“On Tuesday evening, as teams worked to provide her with medicine and fluids, Peekachu passed away suddenly,” Pulver said.

2:40 Marineland Beluga Whales arrive in their new homes

He said they do not know specific answers at this time as to why she died, but a necropsy report will likely shed light on her overall health before she died and what might have led to it. Pulver said they will share the information as soon as it is available.

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Phil Demers, a former Marineland trainer-turned outspoken critic of the park, said Peekachu’s death is sad, though he’s not “entirely surprised.”

“This effort to remove the whales was under duress and out of desperation,” he told Global News.

Demers said the whales were subjected to “a failed water life support system” at Marineland  and will likely require medication and treatments for the remainder of their lives. He added some may not recover.

Animal welfare group Animal Justice called the death of Peekachu a “direct consequence” of being transported in “a state of compromised health.”

“Marineland failed to plan for the future of its whales and dolphins and sought to offload the animals as soon as they were no longer profitable,” it said in a news release.

“Rather than taking the time needed to ensure all animals were truly healthy enough to survive transport, federal officials appear to have rushed to issue export permits following Marineland’s threats to kill the animals.”

Marineland said in a statement to the Canadian Press it was “deeply saddened” to learn of Peekachu’s death.

“We remain grateful to Shedd Aquarium for their partnership in the relocation of Marineland’s belugas, and we have full confidence that the whales in their care are receiving the very best attention from a team of thoughtful, dedicated experts,” it said.

Several whales have been transported in the past two months from Marineland to several aquariums in the U.S. and Spain, including Shedd, SeaWorld’s San Antonio location, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, and Oceanographic Valencia.

The transportation of the whales was part of a deal struck with an international group of marine parks, with U.S. authorities approving the “emergency rescue” earlier this month.

Relocation began in July when six began their journey to the U.S. More were transported in the weeks that followed, with two more taken on Wednesday alongside the last captive dolphins in Canada.

After Wednesday’s move, there will be only six belugas remaining in Marineland, which are soon set to head to an aquarium in the U.S.

Pulver said Wednesday that from the outset of the rescue, the aquarium recognized each animal would be “navigating a significant transition.”

“Their complete health picture, including conditions that may have developed over time, could only become clearer through ongoing assessment and care,” Pulver said. “We cannot emphasize enough that rescue is a step-by-step process for these whales, and that we truly are on a day-by-day basis in relation to their care and wellbeing.”

He paid tribute to Peekachu, saying their time was shorter than hoped, but she “made an immediate and lasting impression on all of us who had the chance to meet her.”

Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson called Peekachu’s death “difficult news,” but stressed she had the utmost confidence in Shedd Aquarium and the other facilities receiving the whales.

“This is a rescue operation, which gives these animals the best chance for survival,” she said in a statement.

While the whale died at Shedd Aquarium, Demers stressed the blame should not be put on the people taking care of the animals there.

He noted that at one point, Marineland threatened euthanasia if the federal government didn’t enact emergency funds for the continued care of the whales, stating it could no longer afford to keep the animals alive.

“So the alternative was they all die or some live and that’s where we are,” he said. “Unfortunately, the effects are such that all the animals will remain compromised for a long time and the window where people should give a grace period for these new facilities needs to be a lot longer than days.”

— with files from The Canadian Press