After recent beluga deaths, Shedd Aquarium monitoring others for ‘clinical concerns’

Days after two rescued beluga whales died at Shedd Aquarium, the institution said it is closely monitoring the remaining whales and expressed concern that others may have health concerns after examination.

In a statement Friday, Shedd indicated that while many of the mammals are showing more “encouraging health signs than others,” several belugas have “presented clinical concerns and their health can change quickly.”

“None are yet where we want them to be from a health standpoint,” the statement said. “We remain unwavering in our commitment to their care. When we agreed to rescue these animals from the threat of euthanasia, we knew there would be challenges and that they would require intensive, individualized care and close monitoring as they adjusted to this significant transition.”

The report comes after a 20-year-old female named Rain, recently rescued from a shuttered Canadian aquatic park, and 34-year-old Beethoven died on Wednesday of unclear causes.

The deaths occurred about a week after another rescued beluga, Peekachu, also died of unknown causes on Aug. 25.

Shedd is part of a consortium of four U.S. and one Spanish aquarium that together agreed to take 30 belugas languishing in Marineland, located in Niagara Falls, Canada. Marineland had faced criticism for years that its animals were living in unsanitary conditions.

The park closed to the public in 2024, and Marineland officials, citing extreme financial difficulties, had threatened to euthanize the whales if permanent homes couldn’t be found.

Shedd received 10 Marineland belugas, more than doubling their resident population.

The aquarium said the belugas’ condition can change daily and even hourly, and Shedd staff will adjust care based on individual needs, including diet and hydration requirements, which are being monitored.

Jim Robinett, who spent 40 years working at Shedd, including overseeing all marine mammals, said it’s unlikely that the deaths are the result of something contagious among the mammals.

“I’m sure they’ve already addressed that,” Robinett said. “When they receive new animals, generally there is a physical done at the sending facility and then when we receive them, we would do follow-up work as well.”

That follow-up would include blood work, checking the animal’s breathing and overall body condition, he said.

“Going forward, despite the loss of the three animals, they are probably not changing things in a major way. The obvious question is: Is there something in common with these three whales [that died]?”

One thing in common: They were all relatively old in whale years.

Whales in captivity rarely live to be 30 or older, Robinett said. Rain, at 20, was the youngest of the three that have died.

Beethoven was the oldest — 34; that’s “ancient” in whale years, Robinett said.

“The fact that they all may have all died from old age is probably a longshot, but these are not young animals. And despite our very, very best efforts, there is always some stress involved with the movement of an animal,” Robinett said.

Robinett said he’s certain that Shedd staff are talking to veterinarians at the four other facilities that received Marineland Canada belugas: Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego and Oceanogràfic València in Spain.

“That’s exactly what they are doing. Are you guys experiencing similar conditions? Is there anything with your whales that we should be aware of? It’s a great network of veterinarians and they communicate all the time,” Robinett said.

The Sun-Times has reached out to all of the other receiving aquariums and heard back from Georgia Aquarium.

In a statement, the aquarium said they are “grieving with Shedd during this unimaginable time,” while also adding, “Georgia Aquarium received two male beluga whales, Balor and Zephyr, as part of the international rescue out of Marineland of Canada. Balor and Zephyr are settling in nicely with our existing beluga whale pod, discovering their new surroundings, and interacting with trainers.”

This is not the first time a Marineland beluga has died after being flown to a U.S. aquarium. Five belugas were transported to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut from the Canadian aquatic park in May 2021.

Three later died, including one just three months after arriving at Mystic, according to the Associated Press. All three belugas died from illnesses attributed to genetic health problems, Mystic Aquarium officials said at the time.