Four more belugas arrive at Chicago aquarium from shuttered Canadian theme park

Four more belugas have arrived at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium as part of an ambitious plan to relocate Canada's remaining captive whales from the shuttered Marineland theme park to aquariums in the United States and Spain. The four new arrivals, named Caspian, Peekachu, Rain, and Secord, are the second group of belugas sent to Shedd after an initial group arrived in July.

This is part of a rescue effort that could have prevented the mass euthanasia of the whales, with a total of 30 whales and four dolphins to be moved after the Canadian government approved the plan. Marineland, which closed to the public in late summer 2024 after being for sale, has a history of animal welfare concerns, with 20 whales—19 belugas and one killer whale—dying at the park since 2019.

To prepare for the transfer, the whales were transported in custom-built slings and temperature-controlled containers, and a team of experts visited Marineland to familiarize themselves with the whales' health records. The new arrivals have been gradually introduced to the other belugas at Shedd, interacting through gates to determine suitable living arrangements.

Belugas are highly social animals, and the aquarium staff is closely monitoring their adjustment to the new environment, noting signs of their health and mood. The rescued whales and dolphins will eventually find homes at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego, and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.