Mystic Aquarium: female beluga's condition upgraded to 'stable but guarded'
Mystic — Mystic Aquarium has announced that a female beluga whale, which had been "critically ill," is now in "stable but guarded condition."
The aquarium had announced Aug. 24 that the beluga, one of the five whales that arrived at Mystic Aquarium in May from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Canada, had "several concerning health complications, including a low white blood cell count and gastrointestinal issues." That announcement came after one of the five belugas, a male, had died Aug. 6.
“While it is too early to be optimistic, there have been incremental improvements in the whale’s white blood count, overall gastric health, appetite, and stabilization of her weight. We are by no means out of the woods and we have a long way to go before we can say there has been a significant recovery,” Dr. Stephen M. Coan, president and CEO of Mystic Aquarium, said in the news release this week. He added that experts from around the country are helping the aquarium's veterinary staff.
Coan said the aquarium "will continue to dedicate the full extent of our resources and our energy to helping this beluga make a full recovery."
The aquarium said on Aug. 6 that the deceased male beluga had been receiving medical care for gastric ulcers that he developed before coming to the aquarium but seemed to be improving during his acclimation to the aquarium. The aquarium also announced in the news release this week that a preliminary report from the necropsy revealed the whale had "extensive underlying conditions," including a "deformed heart," though there is no official cause of death yet.
"The health issues outlined in the report would have been undetectable by attending veterinarians at the time of the transport and following his arrival at Mystic Aquarium," the news release stated.
The aquarium said "health assessments have not revealed any indication of a transmissible illness or direct link between" the conditions of the deceased male beluga and the female beluga in "stable but guarded condition."
The aquarium also announced that it "proactively contacted" American Humane for a review and "provided complete records to two federal agencies."
The aquarium said the other beluga whales "are in good health."
Day Staff Writers Elizabeth Regan and Joe Wojtas contributed to this report.
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