Third Beluga Dies at Shedd Aquarium After Marineland Rescue

A third beluga whale has died at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, months after it was among 30 whales airlifted from a closed Canadian marine park in a complex international rescue.

Osiris, a 26-year-old female, died on Monday, the aquarium said in a statement. Her death came less than a week after another beluga, Jelly Bean, died at Oceanogràfic de València in Spain, where it had been rehomed.

Both deaths were described by the facilities as sudden and unexpected, occurring as the animals' health wavered during the strain of settling into new surroundings.

A whale of clinical concern

Osiris had been a "whale of clinical concern" since her arrival, the Shedd said. She did not eat as consistently as the other whales, complicating efforts to keep her fed and hydrated. The aquarium noted she had periods of meaningful progress, both nutritionally and socially, but her condition remained under close watch.

On the morning of her death, caretakers noticed abrupt changes in her behaviour and breathing. She was moved to a medical habitat, but her condition declined rapidly and she died despite lifesaving efforts, the aquarium said.

Jelly Bean's death in Spain followed a similar pattern. A spokesperson for the Valencian facility said the whale had feeding difficulties that prompted vets to intensify monitoring, despite stretches of improvement.

The Marineland rescue

The belugas came from Marineland, a park and zoo in Niagara Falls, Ontario, which was put up for sale in early 2023 and closed to the public in late summer 2024. The Canadian government approved a last-minute agreement earlier this year to move the country's last captive whales out of the park, sparing them from euthanasia.

Shedd took in 10 of the 30 belugas, along with four dolphins. The whales were transported in custom-made slings and temperature-controlled containers, with aquarium staff travelling to Marineland beforehand to review their health records. Since arrival, their health has been monitored minute by minute, staff said.

Peekachu and Rain died at Shedd in late August and early September, shortly after arriving from Canada. Another beluga that had lived at the aquarium for decades also died around the same time.

Other recipients included Oceanogràfic de València, which took two belugas, as well as the Georgia Aquarium and SeaWorld locations in San Diego and San Antonio. The Georgia Aquarium said two rescued whales there showed decreased appetites and were examined, but no issues were found. SeaWorld's whales are in stable health, a company spokesperson said.

Vulnerable species

Belugas are especially sensitive to environmental changes such as climate change, pollution and other stressors, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Cook Inlet population off Alaska is classified as endangered, having fallen by nearly 80% between 1979 and 2018.

Shedd acknowledged the risks inherent in the rescue. "When Shedd was asked to help with this rescue, we understood that these animals arrived with significant vulnerabilities and that the outcome for every individual could not be guaranteed," the aquarium said.

The aquarium has notified NOAA Fisheries of Osiris' death, a spokesperson said. Within 30 days of the whales' deaths, the facility must formally submit their names and causes of death and, on request, provide necropsy reports. Shedd said it will carry out necropsies and share the results once confirmed.

Marineland has faced scrutiny over animal welfare. Twenty whales — 19 belugas and one killer whale — died at the park since 2019, according to provincial government data obtained through freedom of information requests and official statements.