Taroko, a whale shark that arrived at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta in 2007, has died, according to a post on the aquarium’s Instagram account.
“Our team noticed changes in his appetite and behavior through wellness monitoring, and his overall condition was deteriorating despite all veterinary and care interventions. Last night, we made the humane decision to euthanize,” the post said.
Taroko, who was rescued from a seafood market in Taiwan, “showed more than 43 million people the majesty of his species over the nearly two decades he lived here. He also contributed a wealth of data and information about whale shark biology, health and behavior,” according to the post.
Credit: AJC
Credit: AJC
The whale shark made his Georgia Aquarium debut on June 1, 2007, as part of the Ocean Diver exhibit.
The name Taroko is a geographic reminder of the country he came from. Taroko Gorge National Park is in Hualien, a coastal city on the Philippine Sea.
He arrived at the aquarium from Taiwan with Yushan, another whale shark who “is doing well,” according to the aquarium’s post.
A representative for the aquarium said that while Taroko’s age is unknown, he likely came to Georgia as a juvenile. According to Science magazine, whale sharks can live up to 130 years and are the world’s largest fish.
Four other whale sharks have died at the aquarium since it opened in 2005, including Ralph, Norton, Alice and Trixie, named after characters in the old “The Honeymooners” TV series.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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