CHICAGO (WLS) — In a remarkable conservation effort, Chicago plays a crucial role in the urgent mission to rescue endangered beluga whales.
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Recently, four of these magnificent marine mammals found a new home at the Shedd Aquarium, following their rescue from Canada.
The whales were previously housed at Marineland of Canada, a park in Ontario that has since ceased operations.
Their complex relocation involved a meticulous transport process, utilizing both trucks and planes to ensure their safe arrival.
All four rescued belugas are female, and they were carefully selected to travel and live together as a cohesive sub-pod.
The Shedd welcomed Acadia, 27, Osiris, 26, Sierra, 26, Lillooet, who is 21 years old.
“As with any of our animals, the best indicator of well-being is individual and social behavior,” said Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training at Shedd Aquarium. “We are watching closely for the rescued belugas to eat a full diet, socialize with one another, and investigate the habitat, which are encouraging signs of their progress. We are cautiously optimistic as we start to see some of those initial indicators, and our dedicated team will continue to monitor throughout this process to acclimatize the belugas to their new home, caretakers and pod.”
Shedd Aquarium says it can help up to 10 beluga whales as part of the rescue effort in its Abbott Oceanarium.
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