New details released about dead beluga whales rescued from Canada amusement park

New details released about dead beluga whales rescued from Canada amusement park Six belugas have died after being rescued from an amusement park in Ontario, Canada - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in New details shed light on why some beluga whales rescued from a shuttered amusement park in Canada have died while receiving treatment in America. Osiris and Caspian were rescued as operations were wound down at Marineland of Canada, an amusement park in Ontario that permanently closed in 2024. The pair later died at Shedd Aquarium, along with two other belugas taken to the Chicago-based center. A further two belugas taken from Marineland have died at other parks. Necropsies on Osiris and Caspian provide new details on the various conditions the whales faced before their deaths, including depleted fat reserves and abnormalities impacting their organs. The findings show long-term nutritional and other deficiencies that made it difficult for them to recover. Osiris, a 26-year-old female, died on September 21, 2026, with preliminary examinations suggesting that she had chronic liver disease, the aquarium said in a release. On November 2, an aquarium spokesperson said that additional reports from outside agencies uncovered that her natural fat reserves were “almost entirely depleted.” Both Osiris and Caspian - a 27-year-old female who died on October 7 - were also found to have changes affecting organs including their livers and adrenal glands. Like Osiris, Caspian had severely depleted fat reserves. The whale also showed signs of muscle loss and chronic intestinal inflammation, an aquarium spokesperson said. Experts also noted that Caspian had acute inflammation and damage to her small intestine and that the veterinary team detected “significant metabolic abnormalities” before her death. Two other belugas from Marineland named Peekachu and Rain have died after being transferred from the park. The pair both had “longstanding inflammation in their digestive systems,” an aquarium spokesperson said, noting that Peekachu and Rain had suffered from “significant, chronic gastrointestinal disease.” “The significance of the inflammation, the types of immune cells present and the changes to the mucosa, the inner lining of the intestines, and the structure of the affected tissue all indicate that the disease had likely been present for an extended period,” the spokesperson wrote. Cyprus, a nine-year-old male beluga, died at SeaWorld San Diego in October with an ultrasound suggesting that his intestinal tract was not functioning. A sixth beluga, named Jelly Bean, died on September 17 at Oceanogràfic València in Spain. Marineland closed after becoming embroiled in financial difficulties. In a letter sent to Canada’s fisheries ministry prior to the whales’ rehousing, a park spokesperson warned that the belugas could be euthanized if they could not be relocated. “The gravity of the funding crisis at Marineland cannot be overstated; any further delay jeopardizes the welfare and security of the whales, and we fear we are running out of time to act,” the letter read. “Our only options at this point are to either relocate the whales or face the devastating decision of euthanasia.” Shedd says that its remaining belugas - Acadia, Lillooet, Sierra, Secord, Gimli, and Yukon - are becoming “more active and social” at the aquarium. “All six are consistently eating their full daily diets, spending time together across shared habitats and showing plenty of curiosity about their surroundings,” an aquarium spokesperson wrote. Belugas can live as long as 80 years and can grow up to 5.5 meters long, according to the WWF Global Arctic Program. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments