Aquarium authorities asserted the 21-year-old beluga seemed healthy, had been through her weekly health exam and was eating normally, before she died Thursday afternoon. Among them, two were infants and lately, Maris herself has died.
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– The Georgia Aquarium said one of their beluga whales has passed away on Thursday.
Leven says Grayson and Qinu are doing well and have adjusted to being without Maris.
Veterinarians at the aquarium call her death sudden and unexpected. Maris gave birth (video below) to a simply adorable 126.5-pound female baby beluga on Mother’s Day (May 10), but the calf died 26 days later. Her death was described as an “unexpected loss”. Maris lost a calf in June. For now, the aquarium could not know the reason behind the death.
“This is a case of sudden, acute animal death”, said Dr. Bossart.
University of Georgia pathologists and the aquarium are performing a necropsy. “Our animals receive exceptional care, and our dedicated team of experts responded to her within minutes to render aid”. She arrived at the Georgia Aquarium in 2005.
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While the causes of death for both calves isn’t confirmed, PETA has made statements indicating beluga whales who give birth in captivity often wish their children would die rather than live a life of captivity; a life deprived of joy and freedom. “Whether or not she had a physical ailment that went unnoticed, she was killed by captivity, plain and simple”, PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange said in a statement Friday, reports CNN.
