First Rescued Belugas Arrive Safely at Shedd Aquarium

Four rescued beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) arrived safely into the cool saltwater habitats of Shedd Aquarium's Abbott Oceanarium – the first in an urgent and coordinated international effort. Shedd Aquarium was asked to rescue and rehome the whales, in partnership with several other accredited Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) organizations, due to the aquarium’s rescue experience and deep expertise in beluga care. The animals are part of a large pod of 30 belugas living at Marineland of Canada, a closed marine park that can no longer support their ongoing care. The rescue is just the first step in supporting stability, specialized care and long-term well-being for the whales.

“This moment marks the next chapter for these rescued belugas,” said Dr. Karisa Tang, lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Shedd Aquarium. “Now that they are here, the full attention of our care and veterinary teams is on getting to know these whales and providing whatever supplemental support, care, treatment, nutrition and attention we can provide to help them acclimate to their new environment.” 

Veterinarians specializing in marine mammal medicine and animal care specialists accompanied the belugas from Marineland to Chicago. In specialized, water-filled containers, the belugas were transported both by truck and plane. While the whales have arrived safely, a transport effort of this magnitude is difficult, and the aquarium cautions that experts expect to learn more about the rescued belugas’ health and current condition in the coming days.

The four rescues are all female whales specifically chosen to move together in a sub-pod, because of their preexisting bonds with one another. As a highly social species, dynamics between the animals are important in providing comfort during transport and as the animals get settled in their new homes. The whales, with estimated ages, include: 

• Acadia (uh-KAY-dee-uh), a 27-year-old 

• Osiris (oh-SY-riss) who is 26 

• Sierra (see-AIR-uh), another 26-year-old 

• Lillooet (lih-LOO-et) who is 21 

As the rescued belugas settle in, they will begin to explore the Abbott Oceanarium, consisting of more dynamic, higher-quality habitats that are meticulously maintained and specifically designed for a robust pod.   

Currently, the animal care teams at Shedd are working around-the-clock, looking after the rescued whales, providing immediate care and acclimating the animals. For now, caretakers are moving at each individual  whale’s pace, and the rescued belugas are not viewable by the public.

“As with any of our animals, the best indicator of well-being is individual and social behavior,” said Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training at Shedd Aquarium. “We are watching closely for the rescued belugas to eat a full diet, socialize with one another, and investigate the habitat, which are encouraging signs of their progress. We are cautiously optimistic as we start to see some of those initial indicators, and our dedicated team will continue to monitor throughout this process to acclimatize the belugas to their new home, caretakers and pod.”

Shedd Aquarium remains committed to offering a safe haven and lifelong care for up to 10 beluga whales as part of the rescue effort. SeaWorld San Antonio also participated in this first rescue effort to rehome two beluga whales. Additional aquariums taking in rescued whales from the park include Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld San Diego, and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain, pending their government approvals. Mystic Aquarium, though not taking in any rescued belugas, has been supporting this effort by providing additional capacity and expertise.

“Our first-hand experience and knowledge from belugas in accredited care directly informs our ability to step in and help when some of the most vulnerable species on the planet need it,” said Andrew Pulver, vice president of animal care at Shedd Aquarium. “From rescue and rehabilitation to relocation and research efforts, we are uniquely positioned to respond responsibly – this is what we do.” 

As Acadia, Lillooet, Osiris and Sierra continue to acclimate, Shedd Aquarium will share updates. In the meantime, the accredited aquarium collective will continue to coordinate future rescue efforts for the animals that remain at Marineland. The dedicated group of experts will take learnings from the first transport and apply them to future moves. Details and timelines for additional rescues are expected to shift based on the needs of the animals and will not be shared in advance.

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Canada Photos: ©Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez

Canada Video: ©Shedd Aquarium/Gavin Wright

Shedd video ©Shedd Aquarium/Sam Cejtin Elia

Shedd Photos ©Shedd Aquarium/Heidi Zeiger