A sixth beluga whale saved from an embattled Canadian marine park earlier this summer has died — this time out in California — while Shedd Aquarium says it’s seeing signs of progress among remaining rescues here in Chicago.
SeaWorld San Diego, in a statement to social media Sunday, said a 9-year-old male rescue in its care since late August “passed away unexpectedly.” The beluga, named Cyprus, stopped eating late last week and declined in the days that followed, the park said. He’d initially been doing well, the facility said, but “belugas can mask discomfort or underlying concerns that are not immediately visible.”
Cyprus marks the sixth Marineland death since late August, after four deaths at Shedd and one at Oceanogràfic València in Spain.
A total of 30 whales were rescued from the now-shuttered Marineland of Canada in Niagara Falls, Canada. The whales were evacuated to Shedd and other facilities across the U.S. and Spain after Marineland’s owners threatened to euthanize the belugas if long-term solutions weren’t found, according to a previous Shedd news release.
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Locally, 10 whales arrived at Shedd over the past few months, more than doubling the aquarium’s pod size.
A week and a half ago, Shedd announced that Caspian, a 27-year-old female beluga from Marineland, had died. Caspian’s death followed three other Marineland losses at Shedd. The first was 23-year-old Peekachu, who died Aug. 25. Then followed 30-year-old Rain on Sept. 2 and 26-year-old Osiris on Sept. 21. And in Spain, 19-year-old Jelly Bean died at Oceanogràfic València just over a month ago.
Beethoven, a 34-year-old beluga who had already been living at Shedd for decades, also died in early September.
SeaWorld San Diego, in its statement over the weekend, said a full necropsy of Cyprus would be conducted, and the cause of death will be shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The other rescued belugas in its care, the California facility said, continue to be in stable health and are under close monitoring.
“Like our colleagues at the AZA-accredited facilities that rescued these belugas, we understood each animal would be navigating a significant transition,” the park stated, “and that their complete health picture, including conditions that may have developed over time, could only become clearer through ongoing assessment and care.”
The news of Caspian’s death comes as Shedd announced this week that its Marineland rescues were showing encouraging signs.
In a blog post Monday, Shedd said the whales “are growing more comfortable with their care team, participating in their care and wellbeing and revealing more of their distinct personalities.”
“Sierra is spunky and curious, particularly when there’s enrichment to explore, and she’s known to give a good spit,” the aquarium relayed. “Acadia and Lillooet have gentler, more reserved personalities, while Yukon, still a juvenile, has no shortage of confidence. Secord has emerged as a bold presence among the group, and Gimli brings an unmistakable enthusiasm to just about everything, from spending time with other belugas to learning something new with his care team.”
All six are now spending time together in shared habitats and, for nearly a month now, the whales have consistently eaten their full daily diets, Shedd said.
Shedd officials did not immediately return a request for further comment Monday afternoon.
As the whales continue to settle into a routine, Shedd said it would be providing updates on their care and progress “when there are meaningful developments to report.”
“Each of these developments marks another step in the whales’ adjustment to their new surroundings,” the aquarium wrote in its blog post. “There’s still much to learn about their individual health and needs, but we’re encouraged by what we’re seeing.”
baiduhai’s Finnegan Belleau, Adriana Pérez and Lila Hempel-Edgers contributed.