A sick Beluga whale at Mystic Aquarium is now in stable condition. The young female Beluga was critically ill last week. A Facebook post from the aquarium Monday night said the staff was not yet optimistic and will continue to provide 24 hour care.
Her sickness comes just weeks after another whale in her pod died. The cause of his death is still unknown but Mystic shared that a recent necropsy revealed that the male whale had a few pre-existing conditions, including a deformed heart.
The whales came as a pod of five from Marineland, an overcrowded facility in Ontario, Canada earlier this year. Animal rights groups criticized the arduous trip and transition as harmful to the whales and potentially lucrative for the aquarium.
Once the female fell ill, the aquarium said it flew in beluga experts to attend to her. She now has a stable weight, healthier white blood cell count and better overall gastric health and appetite.
The experts said that the sick beluga and deceased beluga have two different sets of medical issues. They assured the public that her sickness is not transmissible and the other whales in her pod are healthy.
