Safe, Sound and Successful Rescue Mission for Four More Belugas to Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium continues to step up for animals in need, providing four additional rescued beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) stability and specialized care. Shedd’s animal care team, comprised of veterinarians and caretakers, completed another safe, sound and successful rescue effort early Thursday morning to rehome several belugas from a closed marine park in Ontario, Canada. The rescued whales remain behind the scenes within Shedd’s 3-million-gallon Abbott Oceanarium – out of the view of guests as they get settled in with their new surroundings. 

“At the heart of everything we do, animals come first,” said Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training at Shedd Aquarium. “This is a big transition, so we are taking this process hour-by-hour and day-by-day, at the whales’ pace. Through our constant observations, we learn more about each individual, their personality and progress along the way.”  

This arrival follows an initial rescue of four belugas in late July, all of which have also been acclimatizing elsewhere behind the scenes. This rescue and the last happened overnight – allowing for smooth transport and safety, in addition to moving these cold-weather animals during a cooler part of the day.

Like the first arrivals, these four rescues are all female whales that have pre-established bonds with one another. The belugas include:  

• Caspian (KAS-pee-un), a 27-year-old who has darker grey coloring around her eyes that sets her apart from the pod and is a fast learner with a big personality  

• Peekachu (PEE-ka-chu) who is 23 and described as energetic and confident with light grey coloring around her jaw and along the middle of her back, called the dorsal. Her right eye is non-functional, the exact cause of which is unknown, but she can still navigate and explore

• Rain (rayn), a 20-year-old who likes to spend time with Secord and Lillooet, gets along well with all, and can be spotted by her defined melon, or forehead  

• Secord (SEE-kord) who is 22, can be identified by her long rostrum, or upper jaw structure, and enjoys enrichment items that she can move around the habitat with her mouth 

The new rescues will soon be greeted by the familiar faces of the first four rescued belugas: Acadia, Osiris, Sierra and Lillooet, who continue to settle in behind the scenes.

"Belugas often live in large groups in close proximity to one another as they swim, hunt and socialize," said Jacobsma. "Here at Shedd, we've observed some of the same affiliative behaviors, seeing the whales rubbing together, calm and synchronized swimming and other cooperative interactions. Belugas take their cues from one another, so having familiar whales nearby bolsters confidence in the new arrivals as they explore new habitats, replenish nutrients from the journey and investigate new caretakers." 

The way that belugas socialize is both inherent and an important element of their wellbeing, and each beluga plays a distinct role in the broader pod – some serving as anchors of the group that lead the way and establish the hierarchy, and others demonstrating flexibility to go with the flow and follow along. By understanding these unique qualities and behaviors, animal care experts were able to build a rescue plan that spoke to the needs of both the individuals and the pod. This included decisions on who to move together, where the whales would have the best chance to thrive and more throughout this rescue process.

Currently, the animal care team is observing all eight of the rescued whales 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure the animals are doing well. Caretakers are documenting how the belugas interact with their new surroundings and environment, who they are spending time with, how much they are eating, what the frequency is when surfacing for breaths and much more. This around the clock work allows our teams to build a deeper understanding of each animal's health, behavior and individual needs. 

While there are encouraging early indications that the rescues are doing well, there is also still a lot more information to learn over the next days, weeks, and months ahead. Caretakers are cautiously optimistic and note that progress is not linear but driven by the individual animals themselves.  

Shedd Aquarium remains committed to rescuing for up to two additional belugas as part of the ongoing rescue effort. Georgia Aquarium also participated in this latest leg of the journey to rehome two whales, stopping in Chicago before continuing to Atlanta.  

The collective of Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited organizations – consisting of Shedd Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld, Oceanografic Valencia and Mystic Aquarium – will continue to coordinate on future rescue efforts for the animals that remain at Marineland. Details and timelines for additional rescues are expected to shift based on the needs of the animals and will not be shared in advance with the public. 

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