Four out of the six beluga whales that were transferred from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Wednesday have safely reached the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago on Thursday morning. These four female whales will soon be joining four other belugas that were previously moved to the aquarium from Marineland in July during the initial phase of the whale transfers.
A specialized team at the closed tourist spot in Niagara carefully guided the six belugas into a custom sling, one by one, before lifting them into tanks on Wednesday. The whales were then accompanied by police to Toronto’s Pearson airport. Subsequently, the two male belugas were flown to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, while the female belugas were transported to Chicago.
The female belugas are now settling into their new home at Shedd’s 11.3-million litre Abbott Oceanarium. The aquarium mentioned in a news release on Thursday that the whales will be kept away from public view as they adjust to their new environment. Charlie Jacobsma, the director of animal behavior and training, emphasized the importance of taking the transition process slowly, focusing on each whale’s pace and progress.
The new arrivals at Shedd include Caspian, a 27-year-old beluga with a vibrant personality, Peekachu, a 23-year-old energetic and confident beluga with a non-functioning right eye, Rain, a 20-year-old beluga with a distinctive forehead, and Secord, a 22-year-old beluga recognized for her long upper jaw and enjoyment of interacting with enrichment items.
These new belugas will soon reunite with the existing four belugas from Marineland at Shedd, namely Acadia, Osiris, Sierra, and Lillooet, with whom they share important social bonds. The Shedd team will closely monitor the eight belugas, observing their food consumption and breathing patterns. Early assessments indicate that the transition process is progressing well according to Shedd.
Shedd has committed to rescuing up to two more belugas from Marineland, which has faced financial challenges and can no longer provide adequate care for the whales. Before the recent transfers, Marineland had a total of 30 belugas and four dolphins, the last captive marine mammals in Canada. The ongoing relocation effort to the United States is crucial for the survival of these belugas, as Marineland has indicated that if the whales are not moved, they will be euthanized.
The Canadian government intervened last year to block a deal that would have sold all 30 belugas to a Chinese aquarium, deeming it not in the animals’ best interest. Following this, Marineland threatened to euthanize the whales if emergency funding was not provided. Subsequently, a consortium of American and Spanish aquariums facilitated the relocation of the belugas to their new homes in the U.S.
Apart from Shedd Aquarium, other facilities such as SeaWorld in San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain are expected to receive some of Marineland’s belugas or dolphins. If the current relocation efforts are not successful, euthanasia remains a possibility for the remaining belugas and dolphins at Marineland. Marineland aims to complete the relocation of all whales by the end of the month.
In a statement to the CBC, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson acknowledged the successful transfer of belugas to Shedd Aquarium and Georgia Aquarium, expressing gratitude to the organizations and individuals involved in the rescue mission.