Four out of the six beluga whales that were transported from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Wednesday safely reached the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago on Thursday morning. These four female whales will soon join four other belugas that were moved to the aquarium from Marineland in July during the initial phase of the whale transfers.
At Marineland, a team of specialized workers helped guide the six belugas individually into a customized sling before lifting them into tanks on Wednesday. Following this, the whales were accompanied by police to Toronto’s Pearson airport, with the two male belugas flying to Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, while the female belugas were transported to Chicago.
The female belugas are now residing in Shedd’s 11.3-million litre Abbott Oceanarium, where they will be kept away from public view as they acclimate to their new environment. The aquarium mentioned in a press release on Thursday that they are carefully monitoring and guiding the whales through this significant transition on a day-by-day basis, focusing on understanding each whale’s personality and progress.
The new arrivals include Caspian, a 27-year-old beluga known for his “big personality”; Peekachu, a 23-year-old energetic and confident beluga with a non-functioning right eye; Rain, a 20-year-old beluga with a distinctive forehead; and Secord, a 22-year-old beluga recognized for her long upper jaw and fondness for pushing enrichment items around. These belugas will soon reunite with the other four belugas from Marineland – Acadia, Osiris, Sierra, and Lillooet – with whom they share crucial social connections.
Shedd emphasized the importance of social bonds among belugas, highlighting how they often live in large groups, swim, hunt, and socialize closely. Director of animal behavior and training, Charlie Jacobsma, explained that familiar companions nearby help boost the confidence of the new arrivals as they explore their new habitats and interact with caretakers.
The aquarium’s animal care team is closely monitoring the eight whales, ensuring they are eating well and surfacing regularly to breathe. Early reports indicate that the transition is progressing smoothly, according to Shedd. The aquarium stated its commitment to rescuing up to two more belugas from Marineland in the future.
Marineland, which closed its doors to the public in 2024 and is currently up for sale, has faced financial challenges leading to the decision to transfer the belugas to the United States. Prior to the recent transfers, the park housed 30 belugas and four dolphins, the last captive cetaceans in Canada. The complex relocation process is deemed essential for the survival of the belugas.
In response to financial constraints, Marineland attempted to sell all 30 belugas to a Chinese aquarium, but the sale was blocked by the fisheries minister. Faced with financial pressures, Marineland threatened to euthanize all the whales if emergency funding was not received from the government, drawing international attention. Subsequently, a consortium of American and Spanish aquariums facilitated the ongoing moves of the belugas.
SeaWorld in San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain are also anticipated to receive some of Marineland’s whales or dolphins in the coming phases of the relocation process. If the transfer does not proceed as planned, Marineland indicated that euthanasia may be the only option. Currently, 11 belugas and four dolphins remain at Marineland, with plans to relocate all whales by the end of the month.
Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson acknowledged the successful relocation of another group of belugas to Shedd Aquarium and Georgia Aquarium, thanking various entities involved in the effort, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums, for their contributions to the rescue operation.