Appalling news! The second of five whales brought from Marineland Canada to Connecticut’s Mystic Aquarium in May 2021 for ‘research purposes’ has died. The female had been receiving intensive care for the past several months for multiple health issues, however, the cause of death will not be known until a full necropsy is carried out. A male beluga named Havok, who had a pre-existing gastrointestinal issue, died in August 2021 at the same facility.
It is very disturbing that two whales died less than a year after the transfer. Animal welfare organizations, including Marine Connection, jointly campaigned to block the transfer of the whales in U.S. court, however, a judge declined to issue an injunction. Marineland has over 40 beluga whales but many concerns have been raised, calling for greater transparency into just how many have died at the facility as for years, the park’s beluga population hovered in the mid-fifties. Marineland’s website does not disclose the number of whales at the park.
