Two beluga whales tragically died on Wednesday, just weeks after being rescued from an abandoned Canada theme park.
The two whales met their fateful end at Chicago‘s Shedd Aquarium after another whale that came from the same marine park already died away last week, ABC7 reported.
A statement from Shedd Aquarium read: ‘Two beluga whales at Shedd Aquarium passed away despite immediate efforts by animal care and veterinary teams to provide lifesaving measures.
‘Rain, a 20-year-old female rescued beluga, arrived at Shedd in mid-August as part of the recent international rescue effort. Beethoven, a 34-year-old male, was part of Shedd’s resident beluga pod. At this time, it’s impossible to know if these passings are isolated or related.’
The final group of rescued beluga whales arrived at the Shedd Aquarium on Tuesday as part of a larger international rescue effort.
Since July, several beluga whales have been rescued from a non-operational Canadian Marineland after officials threatened to euthanize them.
Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, has been closed to the public for two years, and in 2025 officials threatened to end the lives of 30 beluga whales who remained in the park.
The mission to bring the animals to new homes kick-started in July, following years of campaigning by the charity TideBreakers
Beluga whales can be up to 15-feet long and weigh up to 3,300 pounds. The whales are moved to facilities in Atlanta, Chicago, San Antonio, San Diego and Spain
Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, has been closed to the public for two years. In 2025 it threatened to euthanize 30 animals that had been left alone in its tanks
After years of campaigning, a mission kick-started by the charity TideBreakers in the US two years ago focused on moving the animals to new homes.
At the beginning of the rescue efforts, TideBreakers co-founder, Marketa Schusterova, said: ‘It’s a milestone – we’ve been trying to do this for a decade.’
‘The TideBreakers team has monitored Marineland Canada, documenting conditions, exposing animal deaths, and advocating for improved welfare for every animal held at the facility,’ she added.
In July, Schusterova warned that despite their positive view on the rescue efforts, ‘there are currently no operational sea sanctuaries for beluga whales anywhere in the world capable of receiving these animals immediately.’
‘As a result, relocation to another captive facility is presently the only realistic short-term option to improve the welfare of animals living in deteriorating conditions while long-term sanctuary solutions continue to be developed,’ she said at the time.
Already at the start of the rescue efforts, TideBreakers co-founder, Marketa Schusterova, warned that ‘there are currently no operational sea sanctuaries for beluga whales anywhere in the world capable of receiving these animals immediately’
Schusterova added that ‘relocation to another captive facility is presently the only realistic short-term option’ while long-term solutions have to be developed
Although an animal care team at the Shedd Aquarium looked after the animals around the clock, three of the rescued belugas died recently
The Aquarium released a statement saying that it’s ‘impossible to know if these passings are isolated or related’
The two belugas that died were named Rain, a 20-year-old female, and Beethoven, a 34-year-old male. It is not clear whether the belugas pictured above are the same duo
An animal care team in Chicago had observed all nine rescued whales around the clock, ABC7 reported.
Other whales are going to facilities in Atlanta, San Antonio, San Diego and Spain.
The Daily Mail contacted the Shedd Aquarium and TideBreakers for comment.
