Concerns raised for Canada’s whales seeking new homes in US
The health of beluga whales seeking transfer from Canada’s shuttered Marineland to new homes in the United States is being considered after conditional approval for the move was issued by Canada’s Fisheries Ministry.
A 23-year-old beluga whale rescued from a shuttered Canadian marine park has died at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium after recently arriving as part of a high-profile effort to relocate dozens of marine mammals to aquatic facilities primarily in the United States.
Shedd Aquarium announced that Peekachu, one of eight female belugas transferred from Marineland in Niagara Falls this summer, died on Aug. 25 while receiving treatment after caretakers became concerned she was not consistently eating her full diet. Blood tests indicated dehydration and the need for supportive care, but the whale died suddenly as veterinary teams provided medication and fluids, the aquarium said.
“While our time with Peekachu was shorter than any of us hoped, she made an immediate and lasting impression on all of us who had the chance to meet her,” Andrew Pulver, the aquarium’s vice president of animal care, said in a statement on Aug. 26. “She is emblematic of our belief that every life matters, and she will be greatly missed.”
A necropsy is being conducted to help determine the whale’s overall health and what may have contributed to her death. The aquarium noted that it remains focused on monitoring the seven other rescued belugas “around the clock” as they continue to adjust to their new home.
The whale’s death came amid an unprecedented international rescue operation involving several accredited aquariums in the United States and Spain that are taking in marine mammals who were trapped at Marineland. The marine park closed to the public in 2024 amid financial hardships and concerns about animal welfare.
Whales, dolphins rescued from Canada marine park
Planning for the international rescue effort began earlier this year, after Canadian authorities granted conditional approval for Marineland to export its remaining beluga whales and dolphins to accredited facilities.
At the time, about 30 belugas and four dolphins remained at Marineland, according to previous USA TODAY reporting. The mammals cannot be released into the wild because they were born and raised in captivity.
Shedd was among several Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited institutions selected to receive the animals under the emergency rescue plan. Other participating institutions include Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego and Oceanogràfic Valéncia in Spain.
The relocation effort gained urgency after Marineland warned officials that it could be forced to euthanize the mammals if the export permits were not quickly approved. The park had previously sought permission to send the animals to China’s Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in late 2025, but that proposal was rejected.
Marineland’s animal care practices had faced years of scrutiny. At least 19 beluga whales, three seals, one dolphin and multiple penguins and sea lions have died at the park since 2019, according to animal welfare group Animal Justice.
Three whales from Marineland were previously transferred to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut in 2021, USA TODAY reported. U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection reports from the time found the whales were in poor condition, but the facility has said they arrived that way.
Peekachu’s arrival in Chicago
In July, Shedd said it had been asked to help rehome up to 10 beluga whales because of its experience caring for belugas and its specialized habitats.
Peekachu was part of the aquarium’s second rescue mission, completed on Aug. 13. Peekachu arrived in Chicago alongside three other female belugas — Caspian, Rain and Secord. The quartet joined four rescued females already at the aquarium after an initial rescue conducted in late July.
The aquarium said Peekachu initially appeared to be adapting to her new surroundings, eating seafood offered by caretakers and exploring her habitat. It described her as an energetic and confident whale, identifiable by light gray markings and blindness in her right eye, a condition that did not appear to prevent her from navigating.
Following her arrival, Shedd reported that the rescued whales were acclimating “behind the scenes” in the aquarium’s 3-million-gallon Abbott Oceanarium. Care teams monitored them continuously for signs of adjustment, including eating regularly, exploring their habitats and socializing with each other.
“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,” Pulver said in the Aug. 26 statement. “As we do so, we continue to try and learn as much as we can.”
Contributing: Saman Shafiq, Michelle Del Rey and Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY