Beluga Whale Dies at Mystic Aquarium Due to Medical Complications

MYSTIC, CT – Mystic Aquarium announced that a beluga whale in their care had passed away Friday night due to medical complications.

The whale, named Miki, had been at the aquarium for less than six months, having been on loan from Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. According to a post on their blog, Shedd had housed Miki for more than two decades.

The whale’s death was attributed to complications from a prolonged illness. Beluga whales from Shedd, as well as dolphins, have stayed at Mystic Aquarium before, such as in 2008 during exhibit renovations.

Veterinary teams from both Shed and Mystic had collaborated and worked closely with beluga experts from across the nation to determine the best options for managing Miki’s health. They had also worked with numerous veterinary and human health professionals on the whale’s case.

“His passing is heartbreaking to our team, which loved and cared for him since he was born here in the Oceanarium, and equally to our colleagues who cared for him at Mystic as well,” said Shedd Cetacean Manager Maris Muzzy, who had worked with Miki for over eight years. “We are so grateful for what we learned by working with him and to be able to teach millions of people about him who would otherwise never be able to see these animals in the wild.”

Image via Mystic Aquarium Facebook page.