One of the Vancouver Aquarium’s beluga whales has died while on loan to SeaWorld Orlando.
SeaWorld confirmed Nanuq, a whale estimated to be 31 or 32 years old, died Thursday after being treated for an infection associated with a fractured jaw.
“As an ambassador for all arctic animals, he has delighted millions of visitors to our Wild Artic attraction,” SeaWorld said on its Facebook page.
“Nanuq was a wonderful whale and dearly loved by his trainers and our vets.”
The cause of death hasn’t been confirmed, and the results of a post-mortem examination aren’t expected for six to eight weeks
The whale’s jaw was fractured during an incident with “two animals that were part of a compatible social group,” SeaWorld said.
Nanuq was from the Western Hudson Bay population of belugas, according to the Vancouver Aquarium. The facility transferred Nanuq to SeaWorld in 1997, two years after it sired Qila.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans lists belugas from Nanuq’s population as having an average life expectancy of 15 years, though some can reach up to 50 years old.
