A 9-year-old beluga whale died Monday at the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Conn., the aquarium announced Tuesday.
The whale, named Karabali, began swimming erratically and acting strangely in November and was transferred to the aquarium’s Animal Studies Center for around-the-clock veterinary monitoring, Mystic Aquarium revealed in a press statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Although she received specialized care and life-saving efforts were made, she died after 11 days at the center.
Karabali was one of five beluga whales transferred to Mystic Aquarium in May 2021 from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario. She is the third of the group to die.
A male beluga named Havok died in August 2021, and a female named Havana died in February 2022. Both Havok and Havana had “terminal terminal conditions that led to their deaths,” according to Mystic Aquarium’s initial statement.
In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Meagan Seacor, Mystic Aquarium’s vice president of external relations, said the veterinarians and trainers at the facility “love these animals like I love my daughter,” adding, “Our hearts are heavy right now.”
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She described the love and care for animals as “palpable” and called it “a privilege to watch.”
“It’s hard to explain love if you don’t see it,” concluded Seacor. The aquarium is awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine Karabali’s cause of death.
A Marineland representative released a statement of gratitude to Mystic Aquarium following Karabali’s death.
“We can’t thank Mystic Aquarium enough. They provide exceptional care for beluga whales, and despite the challenges of COVID-19, in May 2021, Mystic Aquarium took these five whales in for us to provide them with the world-class care and expertise they need,” it said. in the press release. “This collaboration underscores the global community’s shared responsibility for animal welfare. Marineland is deeply grateful for Mystic Aquarium’s professionalism and tireless efforts to preserve the health and happiness of these beloved sea creatures.”
After Havok died in 2021, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reviewed Mystic Aquarium’s care of its beluga whales and found problems it reported to the facility. ABC News reported that the aquarium has made changes to address the USDA’s findings.
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Seacor wrote in a statement to PEOPLE that Mystic Aquarium disagrees with the USDA’s 2021 findings, but has made adjustments based on the department’s feedback.
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“We have had four inspections since early 2022, all with no non-conforming findings (clean report). Pathology reports confirmed that both Havok and Havana had incurable, possibly genetic, illnesses unrelated to any of the citations received,” it concluded. in the press release.
dr. Allison Tuttle, Mystic Aquarium’s chief zoological officer, shared a few words about Karabali in the aquarium’s original statement announcing the beluga whale’s death.
“Her spirit touched us all and we are heartbroken by her passing. Kharabali received the utmost care and love during her time with us, and we will always cherish the moments we shared,” said Dr. Turtle.
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Source: HIS Education