Beluga Whale Peekachu Dies at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium After Marineland Transfer

23-year-old beluga had arrived from Ontario days earlier

A 23-year-old beluga whale named Peekachu died Tuesday at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, days after being transported from the now-closed Marineland park in Ontario, aquarium officials said. The death came during a wider international effort to relocate the remaining captive whales from the Canadian facility after it closed in 2024.

Shedd said Peekachu died suddenly while animal-care staff were attempting to rehydrate her. Blood samples collected Tuesday raised concerns that the whale was dehydrated, according to the aquarium’s announcement. Later that evening, staff tried to support her with food and medication, but she died during the effort.

Peekachu was among eight whales moved from Marineland to Chicago this summer. Four belugas arrived in July, followed by four more this month. Aquarium officials had previously described the relocation as a highly controlled operation involving custom slings, temperature-regulated transport containers and continuous health and behavior monitoring after the animals reached their new home.

Transfer was part of plan to relocate Marineland’s remaining whales

Marineland’s closure set off an urgent search for new facilities for its 30 beluga whales and four dolphins. Canadian authorities approved an export plan in January that allowed the animals to be distributed among Shedd Aquarium and four other marine parks.

In addition to Chicago, whales and dolphins from the Ontario park are scheduled to move to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld facilities in San Antonio and San Diego, and Oceanogràfic Valencia in Spain. The transfers have drawn attention because moving large marine mammals requires specialized veterinary planning and carries health risks, particularly for animals with pre-existing conditions.

Shedd said Peekachu was blind in one eye and had experienced difficulty socializing with other whales. Despite those challenges, the aquarium said she had shown early signs of adjustment in the days after arriving in Chicago.

Her death adds to longstanding concern over the welfare of animals at Marineland. Provincial government data obtained through freedom-of-information requests, along with official statements, show that 20 whales — including 19 belugas and one killer whale — died at the park between 2019 and its closure.

Necropsy report expected

The aquarium said it will share the results of a necropsy once they are available. Shedd did not identify a final cause of death Tuesday, and the remaining belugas transferred from Marineland continue to be monitored as they acclimate to their new surroundings in Chicago.