The old Beluga Whale tank is now home to Steller's Sea Lions in the aptly named Steller's Bay exhibit. There is apparently a new addition of a Researcher's Hut and to be honest while the pool was too small for belugas it will be a fantastic exhibit for sea lions. Come Nose to Snout With Stellar Sea Lions at Vancouver Aquarium’s NEW Exhibit!
Chester, the False Killer Whale, died yesterday. The information below was copied and pasted from an email sent out by the Vancouver Aquarium. Dear Friends, Many of you are familiar with the amazing rescue story of Chester, the false killer whale calf who stranded at Chesterman beach in Tofino in July 2014. The odds were stacked against him from the beginning. He had less than a 10 percent chance of survival, but our Marine Mammal Rescue team transported him back to the Rescue Centre, where dedicated staff and volunteers cared for him twenty-four hours a day for months. After he was deemed non-releasable by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and moved to the Vancouver Aquarium, Chester became a beloved member of our family. He delighted and inspired four million people in the past three years. His distinct personality was a draw for many who developed a strong connection with him. False killer whales are not local to our waters and very little about them is known globally. For three years, Chester has contributed invaluable learning opportunities to veterinarians, scientists and students around the world. We are deeply saddened to announce his passing this morning. As a stranded calf, Chester’s health was compromised from the beginning and he faced challenges over the years. Regular health checks and assessments are part of the care for every animal at the Aquarium and Chester was looking well earlier this week. However, his behaviour changed Wednesday afternoon. Despite intensive overnight care Wednesday and Thursday, Chester passed away early this morning. Chester was about a month old when he was found; a still nursing calf with no sign of his mother. He was in extremely poor shape with lacerations and wounds along his body. Because he was so young when he was found, his lack of life skills would have most certainly have meant his death in the wild. He did not know how to forage for food or avoid predators. The professional team at the Aquarium provided Chester with the world-class care that enabled him to survive for 3 ½ years. At this difficult time, we are taking comfort in the fact that we gave Chester a second chance at life and the memories of watching him grow and mature. We cherish these memories and hope you do too. Today and for the next few days, our team will be dedicating our time with Helen, our Pacific white-sided dolphin to help her adjust to the change. We encourage you to share your memories of Chester. Yours, John Nightingale, PhD President & CEO
I'm sad to hear that he died, I followed his rescue and they worked so hard to help him. I wonder what they're going to do about Helen, they can't keep her alone for too long.
A bacterial infection killed Chester. Bacterial infection linked to death of Vancouver Aquarium's false killer whale In other news walruses are arriving. Necropsy results and future arrivals announced at Vancouver Aquarium
