2 more belugas arrive at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago as last whales leave shuttered Marineland in Canada

Two more beluga whales that were rescued from a defunct Canadian theme park have arrived at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Shedd officials said two young male beluga whales, 7-year-old Gimli and 8-year-old Yukon, arrived on Tuesday morning. They are the final two belugas to be rescued from Marineland, a shuttered theme park in Ontario, Canada.

"Rescue is really just the beginning," Shedd Aquarium lead veterinarian Dr. Karisa Tang said in a statement. "There is still a long journey ahead, and helping these animals to settle comfortably and safely to their new surroundings takes time, patience and trust. Every day, we are learning more about how each whale eats, rests, responds to new caregivers and relates to other whales. That informs the choices we make, from nutrition and social groupings to when an animal needs more support or simply more time and space."

The Shedd Aquarium had already taken in eight other belugas from Marineland over the past six weeks. One of those belugas, 23-year-old Peekachu, died last week. Officials are awaiting the results of a necropsy to determine why Peekachu died.

"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," Shedd officials said last week.  

The other belugas from Marineland now being cared for at the Shedd Aquarium are 27-year-old Caspian, 22-year-old Secord, 20-year-old Rain, 27-year-old Acadia, 26-year-old Osiris, 26-year-old Sierra and 21-year-old Lillooet.

Marineland shut down in 2024 after its owners died, but remained in possession of the whales until this summer, after running out of funding to care for the animals. The Shedd Aquarium and several other aquariums in the U.S. took in the belugas from Marineland.