Marineland belugas that died in Chicago had chronic inflammatory disease, preliminary necropsy findings show
Shedd said the whales had long-standing gastrointestinal inflammation and foreign material in their stomachs, findings that suggest illness began before the move.
- Following their arrival last month at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, preliminary necropsies revealed significant chronic gastrointestinal disease and foreign materials in two belugas, Peekachu and Rain, from Marineland.
- Thirty belugas and four dolphins were relocated from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., to facilities in Spain following the facility's threats to euthanize animals due to financial strain.
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada called the findings "unacceptable neglect" for the whales' health prior to relocation, while Shedd noted the animals arrived with long-standing health needs impossible to fully assess beforehand.
- Beyond the Chicago deaths, 26-year-old Osiris also died at Shedd, while Jelly Bean and Echo perished after rehoming to Spain, indicating a wider health crisis across the operation.
- Animal Justice executive director Camille Labchuk warned for years that Marineland's closure would create this "slow-moving disaster," arguing experts should have detected health issues before the whales were moved.
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Tests Show Chronic Gastro Disease in 2 Rescued Belugas That Died at Shedd Aquarium
Preliminary medical findings released Friday are pointing to chronic gastrointestinal disease as a contributing factor in the deaths of two rescued beluga whales at Shedd Aquarium.
Marineland belugas that died in Chicago had rocks, maybe paint in stomachs before arrival: initial necropsy
Post-mortem examinations for two former Marineland belugas indicate the whales were sick when they arrived at their new home at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Peekachu, 23, and Rain, 20, were part of a massive operation to rehome 30 belugas and four dolphins from Niagara Falls, Ont., to aquariums in the U.S. and Spain this summer.
Shedd Finds Gastrointestinal Disease In 2 Beluga Whales From Marineland That Died
Officials said they have found no evidence of a shared infectious disease or a common environmental factor connecting their deaths with that of a 34-year-old whale that also died after living at the aquarium for decades.
Chicago's Shedd Aquarium releases first findings in beluga whale deaths, including 2 rescued from Marineland
The Shedd Aquarium released the first set of preliminary findings from necropsies performed on two beluga whales rescued from Marineland in Canada who died after their transfer to Chicago.
Winnipeg Free Press
Marineland belugas that died in Chicago had chronic disease, aquarium says
TORONTO - Two Marineland whales that died weeks after being relocated to a Chicago facility had chronic, pre-existing diseases, Shedd Aquarium said Friday.
Post-mortem findings offer clues into causes behind 3 Shedd beluga deaths
CHICAGO — Officials from the Shedd are offering new insight into what may have caused the deaths of three beluga whales at the aquarium this summer. On Friday, aquarium officials shared preliminary medical findings from the post-mortem necropsy investigation into the deaths of rescued belugas Peekachu and Rain and longtime Shedd resident Beethoven. According to […]
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