11/04/2022
Another Beluga death at the Georgia Aquarium. How many more have to die before we stop this outdated practice?
This morning, our male beluga whale, Imaq, passed away. His death was sudden, but at age 35 he was the oldest beluga at Georgia Aquarium. He had a larger-than-life presence and was a favorite of all of you. He was an enchanting ambassador for his species that showed how gregarious and beautiful beluga whales truly are. We will miss Imaq dearly, as we know many of you will.
We will perform a necropsy (animal autopsy) to hopefully understand how he may have died. What we learned from Imaq during his lifetime and in his passing will contribute more to our understanding of this enigmatic Arctic species.