Whale Dies At Aquarium: Beluga’s Death At Georgia Aquarium Sparks PETA Accusations

For years, visitors to the Georgia Aquarium have delighted at the antics of Maris, the beluga whale. Maris gave birth to her first calf in May 2012, but it also did not survive.

In the past three years, three beluga whales have died in the Georgia Aquarium.

Mike Leven added that all the animal care and veterinary teams had created a very special bond with Maris over the last 10 years, and mentioned that this unexpected loss was hard and painful. 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.

Maris, a 21-year old beluga whale, died suddenly at the Georgia Aquarium on October 22, said zoo officials, announcing her death on Twitter.

“This is a case of sudden, acute animal death”. The cause of her death is now not known and a necropsy (animal autopsy) is underway, but the results will take time.

A beluga whale named Maris was born in 1994 at the New York Aquarium.

Maris, 21, showed no signs of illness before her death Thursday, the aquarium said in a statement.

In May, Maris gave birth to a baby calf.

“Maris was denied her freedom her entire life”. The biologist claims he witnessed an orca deliberately pushing away her calf that was attempting to suckle. She was one of three beluga whales at the aquarium and was interacting with her aquarium-mates Grayson and Qinu shortly before her unexpected death.