We are deeply and profoundly saddened to share the loss of Peekachu – a 23-year-old female beluga whale recently rescued by Shedd Aquarium as part of an international rescue effort.
Peekachu’s time at Shedd was brief. She arrived safely as part of a group, or pod, of eight female rescued whales. The rescues came from a marine park in Canada that had been closed and nonoperational for nearly two years.
Peekachu was unique. She was blind in one eye and one of the smaller whales. Despite what could have been a limitation, Peekachu had little trouble socializing and finding her way around a new habitat.
In the days that followed the rescue, Peekachu showed early signs of progress as she ate squid, herring and capelin from caretakers and checked out the care team from the underwater windows as they monitored the progress of the rescues.
Yesterday, we got an opportunity to get blood samples from Peekachu, who was not consistently eating her full diet. When we looked at the blood values, we were concerned that she was dehydrated and needed supportive care. On Tuesday evening, as teams worked to provide her with medicine and fluids, Peekachu passed away suddenly.
While it’s frustrating not to know more specific answers to her passing now, a necropsy report may provide a better understanding of Peekachu’s overall health before she passed and what might have led to her death. We are committed to sharing an update as soon as we have one.
Losing any animal is immensely difficult. From the outset of this rescue, we understood each animal would be navigating a significant transition and that their complete health picture, including conditions that may have developed over time, could only become clearer through ongoing assessment and care.
We cannot emphasize enough that rescue is a step-by-step process for these whales, and that we truly are on a day-by-day basis in relation to their care and wellbeing. As we do so, we continue to try and learn as much as we can. We remain guarded but hopeful about their condition as we continue monitoring them around the clock.
While our time with Peekachu was shorter than any of us hoped, she made an immediate and lasting impression on all of us who had the chance to meet her. She is emblematic of our belief that every life matters, and she will be greatly missed.