Necropsies reveal what led to deaths of 2 rescued beluga whales at Shedd Aquarium

New details were revealed Monday about two rescued whales from the shuttered Marineland of Canada that died after being brought to Chicago s Shedd Aquarium in recent months. The aquarium announced Oct. 9 that Caspian, a 27-year-old beluga whale, died after her condition deteriorated. Her death came weeks after Osiris, a 26-year-old beluga, died in late September. Shedd previously said Osiris had been facing health challenges and required additional care to ensure she received appropriate levels of calories, nutrients and electrolytes. The aquarium said Monday necropsies found both Caspian and Osiris had depleted fat stores and muscle loss, along with complications involving several internal organs, including the liver, heart and adrenal glands. This is consistent with long-term nutrient and caloric deficiencies that left their bodies more vulnerable to illness, Shedd said in a statement. These chronic conditions were unknowable before the rescue and made it difficult