Final Group of Rescued Belugas Arrives at Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium welcomes two additional beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) – the final animals to be transported to Shedd as part of an urgent, international rescue effort from the closed marine park in Canada. It is a meaningful collective milestone, and the beginning of a much longer responsibility for the institutions now caring for these animals. 

“Rescue is really just the beginning,” said Dr. Karisa Tang, lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Shedd Aquarium. “There is still a long journey ahead, and helping these animals to settle comfortably and safely to their new surroundings takes time, patience and trust. Every day, we are learning more about how each whale eats, rests, responds to new caregivers and relates to other whales. That informs the choices we make, from nutrition and social groupings to when an animal needs more support or simply more time and space.” 

Three urgent rescue transports took place from Ontario to Chicago over a period of just six weeks, reuniting the whales and getting them where veterinary teams could begin more thorough assessment. As with previous journeys, the latest happened overnight. Caretakers accompanied the animals every step of the way. 

The two new arrivals to Shedd Aquarium are young male beluga whales: 

• Gimli (GIM-lee), 7-years-old
• Yukon (YOO-kan), 8-years-old 

Behind the scenes, the animal care team is observing all nine rescued belugas 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Caretakers expect it may take several months before rescued whales are fully settled into their new surroundings and remain committed to following the whales’ pace. 

This milestone also comes as the aquarium is still mourning the loss of Peekachu, a rescued whale that came to Shedd a few weeks ago and passed suddenly while receiving expert care. A necropsy has been performed and will take several weeks to receive a final complete report. The animal care team is awaiting laboratory test results to potentially better understand her overall condition and anything that might have contributed to her passing. 

Peekachu’s passing underscores the uncertainty inherent in a rescue of this scale. Arrival does not erase an animal’s history, nor does it immediately reveal a complete picture of its health. That understanding emerges over time through close observation, clinical assessment, and the gradual development of relationships between the animals and their new caregivers. 

Providing care for the rescued whales is more complex than with Shedd’s resident pod. The animals arrived with different histories and established care routines. So far, the whales are not fully settled in, and they have not yet presented voluntary behaviors that allow the belugas to participate in their own healthcare, which makes veterinary care safer for both animals and staff.

“The rescued whales are very much individuals. Sometimes hands-on care is critical. At other times, stepping back, observing, and allowing more time is the best way to reduce stress. Our job is to make that judgment based on what each whale is showing us, and that may change as we continue learning about them,” said Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training at Shedd Aquarium. “It’s important to remember that progress for these rescues is not linear – we may have big wins and setbacks before we can say that the whales are fully settled in.” 

The collective of Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited organizations – consisting of Shedd Aquarium, SeaWorld, Georgia Aquarium, Oceanogràfic Valencia and Mystic Aquarium – will continue to collaborate, sharing knowledge and supporting one another as the animals acclimate to their new environments. 

“We are steadfast in our commitment to protecting beluga whales and other aquatic animals in need,” said Dr. Tang. “Our hope is that anyone who has followed along and might have been touched by the story can be inspired to take action for animals now and in the future.” 

That work extends well beyond the aquarium. In September, two caretakers will travel to Alaska to participate in Belugas Count – an event that Shedd is a founding partner of – that creates public support and education while also conducting a census of the Cook Inlet population, estimated at 391 whales, as of the latest abundance estimate. 

Those same whales are protected by the Endangered Species Act, and throughout this rescue, thousands of guests have added their signatures in support of it, on site at Shedd Aquarium and through online letters. Americans personalize a pre-written letter to Congressional lawmakers urging that the ESA be strengthened.

For more ways to Act with Shedd, visit: https://www.sheddaquarium.org/care-and-conservation/take-action-for-animals.  

VISUALS: Find high-resolution visuals of the final rescue effort here: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/guest/fs?v=8e7167865f646db2a599&C=50.
Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Names on files