Two More Beluga Whales Die at Chicago Aquarium, Including Recently Rescued Canadian Whale

Two more beluga whales have died at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, including one brought there only weeks ago in an international rescue effort for Canada's last captive whales.

Rain, a 20-year-old female, was the second of four belugas moved to Chicago in mid-August from Marineland, a shuttered water park in Ontario. Another rescued whale, Peekachu, died last week while caretakers tried to revive it. Beethoven, a 34-year-old male who had lived at Shedd for decades, also died, the aquarium said.

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These deaths were unexpected and there is still much we do not know about what led to them.

Shedd did not identify a cause of death. “Necropsies, blood tests and additional exams” are being conducted, according to a statement quoted by The Associated Press. Aquarium officials said, “These deaths were unexpected and there is still much we do not know about what led to them.”

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saddened

The aquarium accepted 10 belugas as part of a mission to relocate 30 belugas and four dolphins from Marineland, which closed years ago and could no longer care for the animals. The last two of Shedd's 10 arrivals, young males named Gimli and Yukon, arrived on Tuesday.

The transfers involved custom-made slings, temperature-controlled containers and minute-by-minute monitoring of the whales' health and behavior, Shedd officials previously told AP. Canadian Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson said she was “saddened” by Rain's death and said Canada “has taken reasonable steps to ensure the safe rescue of the whales.” Other rescued whales are being housed at Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld facilities in San Diego and San Antonio, and Oceanogràfic Valencia in Spain.

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has taken reasonable steps to ensure the safe rescue of the whales.