26-year-old Osiris arrived at Shedd in late July. The cause of death is not immediately clear, although the facility has stated that she had been a whale of clinical concern since her arrival. She is the third beluga from Marineland, Canada, to die at Shedd, and the fourth from Marineland overall. Peekachu, a 23-year-old female, died on August 25, while Rain, a 20-year-old female, died on September 2. Jelly Bean, another Marineland beluga, died at Oceanogràfic Valencia in Spain earlier this month.
The deaths of these whales raise very serious questions about their health status before being transferred to Shedd and the judgment involved in making those decisions. Staff observed sudden changes in both Osiris’s behaviour and respiratory patterns. A full necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
Osiris was wild-caught in Russian waters more than 20 years ago. Her death is another painful reminder of the complex history and challenges faced by marine mammals who have spent years in captivity.
