Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has reported the unfortunate deaths of two whales following the transfer of 10 beluga whales from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario. One whale, named Rain, arrived from Marineland in mid-August, while the other, Beethoven, was already residing at the aquarium. Marineland, in collaboration with Shedd and several other aquariums, recently completed a significant relocation of captive whales by sending 30 belugas and four dolphins to five different destinations.
Tragically, another beluga from Marineland, Peekachu, passed away last week due to severe dehydration. Despite immediate efforts to save the whales, Shedd confirmed that the deaths occurred on Wednesday afternoon. The aquarium is currently conducting tests and necropsies to determine the cause of death.
Shedd expressed the challenges of dealing with these losses and the uncertainty surrounding the circumstances leading to the whales’ passing. Marineland expressed deep sadness over Rain’s death, extending thoughts to the trainers and staff who cared for Rain.
The relocated animals were the final captive whales and dolphins in Canada following the government’s 2019 ban on captivity, with an exception granted to Marineland. Marineland is now up for sale, with sources indicating a pending deal for the land contingent on the removal of the animals, as several hundred deer still remain at the park.
The closure of Marineland to the public in 2024 marked the end of an era, as the park faced financial challenges and the need to relocate its remaining animals. The founder of Marineland, John Holer, passed away in 2018, followed shortly by his widow, Marie Holer, after the park’s closure.
The federal government intervened to prevent the initial plan of relocating the whales to China, leading Marineland to seek alternative options to save the animals. The whales and dolphins have since been moved to Shedd, SeaWorld locations in San Diego and San Antonio, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.
In the years preceding these events, Marineland witnessed the deaths of 19 belugas, one killer whale, and one dolphin between 2019 and 2025. Notably, in 2021, Marineland transferred five whales to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, where two whales died within a year of the move, and the third passed away two years later. Mystic Aquarium attributed the deaths to pre-existing conditions, while Marineland maintained the whales were healthy upon departure.