Four out of the six beluga whales that were moved from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Wednesday have safely reached the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago on Thursday morning. These four female belugas will soon be joining four other belugas that were relocated to the aquarium from Marineland in July during the first of three whale transfers.
At Marineland, a team of specialized workers guided the six belugas into a custom sling one by one before lifting them into tanks on Wednesday. The whales were then escorted by police to Toronto’s Pearson airport. The two male belugas were transported to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, while the female belugas were taken to Chicago.
The female belugas have now been settled into Shedd’s 11.3-million litre Abbott Oceanarium, away from public view, to acclimate to their new environment. Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training at the aquarium, emphasized the importance of taking the transition process slowly, observing each whale’s progress and personality closely.
The new additions to Shedd’s beluga family include Caspian, a 27-year-old beluga known for his 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 unique forehead; and Secord, a 22-year-old beluga recognized for her long upper jaw and playful behavior with enrichment items.
These newly arrived belugas will soon be reunited with the other four belugas from Marineland — Acadia, Osiris, Sierra, and Lillooet — with whom they share important social bonds. The Shedd team is closely monitoring the eight belugas around the clock, ensuring their food intake and breathing patterns are normal. Early observations suggest the belugas are adapting well to their new environment.
Shedd Aquarium has committed to rescuing up to two more belugas from Marineland. Marineland, which closed to the public in 2024 and is now up for sale, stated that it lacks the resources to care for the whales any longer. Prior to the recent transfers, the park housed 30 belugas and four dolphins, the last captive marine mammals in Canada.
The ongoing transfers of the belugas from Marineland to various aquariums in the United States are considered crucial for the whales’ survival. The complex operation, labeled as “unprecedented” by Marineland, is aimed at providing the belugas with a better quality of life.
In a response to financial challenges, Marineland proposed euthanizing the whales if emergency funding was not secured. However, a deal with a consortium of American and Spanish aquariums, facilitated by Ottawa, enabled the planned relocations to proceed. SeaWorld in San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain are also expected to receive some of Marineland’s marine mammals.
If the belugas are not successfully relocated, euthanasia remains a possibility. Following the recent move, 11 belugas and four dolphins still remain at Marineland, with plans to have all the whales relocated by the end of the month. Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson expressed gratitude to the organizations involved in the successful relocation of the belugas to Shedd Aquarium and Georgia Aquarium.