DOWNTOWN — The Shedd Aquarium has received the first four of up to 10 beluga whales the aquarium is bringing in as part of an unprecedented international rescue operation.
The beluga whales were rescued from Marineland of Canada, a shuttered zoo and amusement park in Ontario, according to the Shedd. Marineland closed in 2024 after the passage of a 2019 Canadian law banning the keeping and use of whales, dolphins and porpoises for breeding or entertainment.
The Shedd is one of several facilities taking part in the rescue of 30 stranded beluga whales. Other participating facilities include aquariums in Georgia, San Diego, San Antonio and Spain.
A beluga whale being transported from Marineland in Canada. Credit: Shedd Aquarium
The whales were transported in water-filled containers via both truck and plane. The four belugas are all female and were specifically chosen to move together in a “sub-pod, because of their preexisting bonds with one another,” according to the Shedd.
The whales, with estimated ages, include:
Acadia (uh-KAY-dee-uh), 27 years old
Osiris (oh-SY-riss) , 26 years old
Sierra (see-AIR-uh), 26 years old
Lillooet (lih-LOO-et) , 21years old
The belugas are now located at the Shedd’s 3 million-gallon Abbott Oceanarium, complete with six interconnected habitats that are up to 30 feet deep.
The rescued whales will continue to be monitored for positive social behaviors like grooming, foraging and eating well, which are all signs that they are adapting well, according to the Shedd.
No timeline for the arrival of the other six whales was available.