Shedd Aquarium’s two newest residents arrived Tuesday.
The beluga whales were the ninth and 10th to be transported to Shedd from the now-closed Marineland animal theme park in Ontario. The newest whales, Gimli and Yukon, are the final rehomed whales to arrive from the troubled Niagara Falls marine park.
The pair is among the last-ever captive whales from Canada, since the country banned whale and dolphin captivity in 2019, according to CBC Radio Canada.
Shedd officials said in a news release Tuesday afternoon that the last arrivals mark the beginning of a “much longer responsibility” of caring for the animals’ well-being. Shedd now houses 17 beluga whales total, eight of whom are from the aquarium’s existing pod plus nine new arrivals.
Shedd was originally supposed to have 10 new whales; however, one new beluga, Peekachu, died suddenly in the aquarium’s care after transport last week. She was blind in one eye but had little trouble socializing, according to the aquarium.
“Rescue is really just the beginning,” said Dr. Karisa Tang, lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Shedd Aquarium. “There is still a long journey ahead, and helping these animals to settle comfortably and safely in their new surroundings takes time, patience and trust.”
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Shedd is among at least six aquariums, based in the United States and Spain, to rescue the 30 whales who formerly lived at Marineland. SeaWorld, Georgia Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium and Oceanografic Valencia in València, Spain, now care for the animals that were moved after threats of euthanasia.
The process to rehome 30 beluga whales took six weeks and precise coordination between the accepting facilities. At Shedd, the whales arrived by truck and a Boeing 777 airliner in three waves.
The first four belugas rescued by Shedd in mid-July were all females. They were chosen to travel together due to “preexisting bonds.” Their names are: Acadia, Osiris, Sierra and Lillooet. The news release listed the four whales as having estimated ages of 21 to 27 years old.
Shedd received a second wave of belugas nearly a month later: Caspian, Peekachu, Rain and Secord, according to the news release. Shedd announced that Peekachu died in the care of Shedd veterinarians Aug. 25.
Gimli and Yukon, 7 and 8 years old, respectively, are the youngest and final pair to arrive in Chicago. All animals are currently in Shedd’s veterinary care.
“The scale of this rescue was unlike any other we have ever been a part of,” said Dr. Chris Dold, chief zoological officer for the theme park operator United Parks. “The rescues simply would not have been possible if we did not have all of the accredited aquariums working in lockstep to ensure the safety of each individual animal and each other.”
There is no word as to when aquarium-goers may meet the nine newest saltwater residents, according to Shedd officials.