Peekachu, a beluga whale that was recently transferred from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., has passed away at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago as two other belugas and four dolphins were in the process of being relocated to Spain on the same day.
The 23-year-old female beluga, part of a group of eight belugas that were transported to Shedd two weeks ago, was described as “unique” by the aquarium due to an ongoing international rescue effort that had commenced a month prior. The blog post mentioned that Peekachu, despite being blind in one eye and one of the smaller whales, managed to socialize and adapt to her new environment.
Initially showing signs of progress by consuming squid, herring, and capelin, Peekachu later experienced a decline in appetite and was diagnosed as dehydrated through a blood test. Despite efforts to provide medical care and fluids, Peekachu passed away suddenly on Tuesday evening, with a necropsy currently underway.
Marineland expressed sadness over the beluga’s death but assured that the remaining whales are receiving top-notch care at Shedd. Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson extended condolences for Peekachu’s passing and commended the efforts of organizations involved in the rescue mission.
In a separate development, four dolphins named Echo, Lida, Marina, and Tsunami departed Marineland for a new home in Spain, marking the end of Canada’s captive dolphin population. Animal Justice’s legal advocacy director, Kaitlyn Mitchell, emphasized the severe health risks faced by the belugas during the relocation process, citing previous deaths and illnesses among the animals from Marineland.
Mitchell criticized the rushed nature of the transfers and suggested that better care could have been provided before moving the marine mammals. The upcoming relocation of the remaining six belugas in Marineland to a U.S. aquarium is part of the park’s initiative to transfer all animals off-site due to financial constraints.
Originally intended for transfer to an aquarium in China, the belugas and dolphins from Marineland found new homes in American and Spanish facilities after Canadian authorities halted the China relocation plan. The ongoing saga of the captive marine animals underscores the complex challenges faced by facilities transitioning away from animal captivity practices.