A 23-year-old beluga whale named Peekachu has died at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium just days after being transported from a now-closed park in Ontario, Canada. The whale died Tuesday as caretakers attempted to rehydrate her, according to a news release from the aquarium.
Peekachu was among eight beluga whales moved this summer from Marineland, an Ontario park that closed in 2024. The relocation was part of an ongoing effort to find new homes for Canada's last captive whales before they could be euthanized. The Canadian government approved the export of these whales to the Shedd Aquarium and four other marine parks in January.
Since 2019, 20 whales – 19 belugas and one killer whale – have died at Marineland, according to provincial government data. The operation to transport the whales to the Shedd Aquarium involved custom slings and temperature-controlled containers, with continuous monitoring of their behavior and health.
The Shedd Aquarium stated that Peekachu had been blind in one eye and experienced difficulties socializing with other whales. Although she showed initial signs of progress after the journey, blood samples taken Tuesday revealed concerns about dehydration. She died Tuesday evening while attendants were administering food and medicine in an attempt to revitalize her.
The aquarium has committed to releasing a necropsy report for Peekachu once it is available. The remaining whales and dolphins from Marineland are being moved to other facilities, including the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego, and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.