Kavna, a beluga whale estimated as being 46-years-old, died at the Vancouver Aquarium Monday.
Vancouver Aquarium spokesperson Charlene Chiang said the marine mammal, which was the oldest beluga at any accredited aquarium in North America, died at around 3 p.m.
She said a veterinarian had been carrying out bloodwork and other tests over the past few weeks on the whale after it began showing inconsistent behaviour.
Chiang added beluga whales in the wild live about 25 to 30 years and that Kavna was considered to be at the end of her life.
Kavna had charmed visitors at the aquarium since 1975.
A full necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
