On Aug. 31, the last captive whales in Canada — six belugas — left the Marineland theme park in Niagara Falls to be transported to other locations across the United States. “There will no longer be any beluga whales or any other type of whales in captivity in Canada [by the end of August],” said Marineland’s adviser, Andrew Burns, in an article posted by CBC News.
The belugas’ relocation also marks the end of what is considered the “largest collective relocation of captive whales the world has ever seen,” completing the shipments of “30 belugas and four dolphins” into five different aquariums across the U.S.
The six beluga whales transported from Marineland were Yukon, Gimli, Tank, Odin, Orion and Tofino. Their ages ranged from 7 to 23 years old, and four of the six were born in captivity.
Yukon and Gimli, both males born in Marineland, were transferred to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
Tank, Odin, Orion and Tofino were transferred to SeaWorld San Antonio. Orion and Tofino were not born in Marineland but captured in 2004 from Russia’s Sea of Okhotsk.
Both U.S. marine facilities were chosen as primary destinations for the whales relocated from Marineland. Since the move, they have posted updates about the new whales, as well as those previously transferred, on their websites and social media.
According to an article posted by Kens5, SeaWorld San Antonio is still in the process of welcoming the four whales. Upon arrival, the staff will stay “in close contact” while the belugas become adjusted to their new environment.
In a video on SeaWorld’s Facebook, staff take care of the rescued whales by “monitoring everything from how they’re eating and swimming to how they’re interacting with each other and their new surroundings.”
The video states the whales there now have been doing well. They are exploring their new homes and adjusting at their own pace.
SeaWorld San Antonio has not provided updates on Tank, Odin, Orion and Tofino’s arrival. However, updates on their rescued animals are provided daily on SeaWorld’s Facebook.
Yukon and Gimli arrived safely at Shedd Aquarium on Sept. 1. On their website, it states the facility is looking to reconnect them with their mothers, Acadia and Secord, who also live there.
Shedd Aquarium’s Abbott Oceanarium holds more than three million gallons of cold saltwater, with the belugas having access to six interconnected habitats reaching down to 30 feet deep.
According to Shedd Aquarium’s article “Beluga Rescue, Care and Wellbeing,” veterinary and animal care experts monitored the whales before their arrival and developed individualized care plans based on each of their needs.
Dr. Karisa Tang, Shedd Aquarium’s Vice President of Animal Health and lead veterinarian, says on a video within the article that their facility follows strict rules enforced by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums — an organization that sets standards for zoos and aquariums for animal care and operations — to ensure the wellbeing of their rescued whales and Dr. Tang, herself, oversees the team responsible for process.
Updates on Yukon and Gimli, along with the other whales in Shedd Aquarium, are provided daily on Shedd’s Beluga Rescue Updates & Stories.
However, questions about the whales’ safety in Shedd Aquarium have been raised after three whales died at Chicago’s facility shortly after their arrival.
On Aug. 25, Peekachu, a 23-year-old female, died after arriving at Shedd Aquarium on Aug. 13, a shipment that included three other female beluga whales.
According to an article posted by NBC5 Chicago News, the aquarium stated that Peekachu’s blood samples before her death indicated she was “dehydrated and [in need of] supported care.” She died while veterinary staff administered medicine and fluids.
Almost a week after, Rain, a 20-year-old female, and Beethoven, a 34-year-old male died on Sept. 2 at Shedd Aquarium. The same NBC5 Chicago News article shared that a spokesperson for Shedd said it’s unclear whether these deaths were related to the aquarium or not, and further testing would be needed to determine the cause.
Since the whales’ passing, the facility’s veterinarians are conducting necropsies, blood tests and other examinations to get a better understanding of what happened.
Following these incidents, The Whale Sanctuary Project, a non-profit organization that operates North America’s first open water sanctuary for rescued captive whales, has questioned the overall decision for relocations, calling for governments, regulators and the public to do the same.
According to an article posted by the organization on Sept. 3, Dr. Lori Marino, neuroscientist, founder and president of the Whale Sanctuary Project, said the deaths of these whales at Shedd Aquarium “are shocking and horrifying.”
“We cannot simply mourn them, wait for another necropsy and carry on as though there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the status quo,” said Dr. Lori. “At some point, the world has to stop looking at each death in isolation and start questioning the system itself.”
The Whale Sanctuary Project is calling for greater transparency from Shedd Aquarium about all the whales transferred from Marineland. The organization demands information about the whales’ health before transport, how they were deemed acceptable to travel and how Shedd Aquarium is specifically taking care of the whales they have now.
For updates on how The Whale Sanctuary Project are handling this matter, visit the blogs on their website.