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A second beluga whale transferred from the now-closed Marineland theme park has died at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, marking another loss in a troubled relocation effort that began over the summer.
The aquarium confirmed that Caspian, a 27-year-old female beluga, died on Wednesday. Staff made efforts to save her, but those efforts ultimately failed. Caspian’s death brings the total number of Marineland animals lost since the relocation to six — four belugas and one dolphin had already died before her.
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Health Problems Before Death
According to Shedd Aquarium, Caspian had not been eating properly in the days before her death. Blood tests revealed abnormal electrolyte levels, and veterinary staff noted that her blood had become “dangerously acidic.”
Those findings gave the care team a clearer picture of how seriously ill Caspian was. However, they did not establish a definitive cause of death. The aquarium also confirmed that Caspian spent nearly four hours on life support before she died.
Earlier, Shedd performed necropsies on two other Marineland whales — Peekachu and Rain — who also died at the facility. Those examinations concluded that both animals had chronic, pre-existing diseases at the time of their transfer.
A Large-Scale Relocation Under Pressure
The deaths stem from a major animal relocation carried out over six weeks this past summer. Shedd Aquarium joined four other institutions in the United States and Spain to rehome all 30 of Marineland’s beluga whales and four dolphins.
Marineland, located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, had announced it was running out of money. The park said it could no longer provide adequate care for the animals, who were the last captive whales and dolphins remaining in Canada.
Not all animals survived the transition. A beluga named Jelly Bean and a dolphin named Echo both died at Oceanografic Valencia in Spain after arriving there from Marineland. Meanwhile, the deaths at Shedd continue to raise concerns about the health of animals that left the Ontario park.
Ongoing Concerns About Animal Welfare
The repeated losses have drawn attention to the condition of the animals before and during the relocation. Pre-existing illnesses appear to have played a significant role in several of the deaths.
Shedd Aquarium has not yet released further details about planned necropsies for Caspian. As investigations continue, the full picture of what affected these animals may take more time to emerge.
