A 9-year old beluga whale named Cyprus died at SeaWorld San Diego Sunday night, the organization said in a Facebook post.
The beluga whale arrived at SeaWorld Aug. 22 from Canada. He was one of the three male belugas who were rescued from a closed Marineland park in Canada.
The whales traveled over 2,500 miles in specialized cold-water transport units with a team of animal care specialists before arriving in San Diego.
Cyprus’ death was “unexpected” and he had stopped eating two days before his death, SeaWorld San Diego said on social media.
The organization added that “an ultrasound showed that his intestinal tract did not appear to be functioning normally and could indicate a serious life-threatening condition.”
The post also said that a full necropsy will be conducted and the results will be shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The two other belugas, Xavier and Jasper, are in stable condition and continue to adjust to their surroundings, SeaWorld said.