Georgia Aquarium said it’s adopting two beluga whales from the defunct Marineland of Canada, but getting them to Atlanta may take awhile.
The whale rescue would have the largest scope of any yet in the aquarium’s history, and is part of a large operation across multiple rescuers and borders, the aquarium said.
The Atlanta-based aquarium said it would bring the whales, named Balor and Zephyr, down South in an “extraordinary” rescue process.
Georgia Aquarium said they are equipped for the transition because of their decades of beluga experience and track record of assisting in prior rescues.
In 2024, marine mammal specialists from Georgia Aquarium were part of a team that rescued two beluga whales from the war-torn region of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Georgia Aquarium said.
The whale extraction team landed on the Moldovan-Ukrainian border to pick up the belugas in a cargo plane, according to Georgia Aquarium.
They did not take the whales to Atlanta, but assisted with their movement to Spain, Georgia Aquarium said. With Balor and Zephyr, Georgia Aquarium said they are involved every step of the way.
Taking care of belugas can come with its trials. In 2021, Georgia Aquarium lost the calf of its beluga named Qinu despite “extraordinary life-saving measures.” Two other newborn belugas died in 2012 and 2015.
Georgia Aquarium had to euthanize one of its whale sharks last year. The whale, Taroko, arrived in 2007, rescued from a seafood market in Taiwan, Georgia Aquarium said.
The shark’s condition continued to decline despite veterinary intervention, Georgia Aquarium said. Four other whale sharks have died at the Aquarium since its 2005 opening date.
The rescue efforts of the whales from the Canada park, are part of the work of a consortium of members accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Georgia Aquarium said. The AZA said it has a set of standards of animal care to be met before accreditation of a facility. The Georgia Aquarium said they are a member of the AZA.
Marineland, the park in Canada that has housed the two new belugas, closed its doors in 2024 and was left with a 28-whale problem on its hands.
Marineland did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration approved the transition as being in the whales’ best interest, according to Georgia Aquarium. A dedicated care staff will arrive in Ontario and assess the whales’ ability for travel, Georgia Aquarium said.
Credit: Chris Young/The Canadian Press v
Credit: Chris Young/The Canadian Press v
Georgia Aquarium said details of the beluga transfer could be subject to change. The whales will be given diverse seafood for nutritional needs and guaranteed water quality, according to Georgia Aquarium.
The belugas will receive world-class healthcare and specialized diets, according to Georgia Aquarium rescue page. Georgia Aquarium said the rescue will take several weeks to complete.
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