Shedd aquarium beluga whale matriarch, Mauyak, dies
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mauyak, a 41-year-old beluga whale at the Shedd Aquarium, died over the weekend.
The oldest beluga whale at the Shedd, Mauyak died on Saturday, according to aquarium staff.
"She was a very independent whale, extremely playful and was an attentive mom to her calves," said Peggy Sloan, Chief Animal Operations Officer for Shedd. "The matriarch of our beluga pod, her passing is heartbreaking to everyone who loves beluga whales. And yet, we are so grateful for what we have learned by caring for her for over three decades– from helping field researchers better understand her species to inform wild populations and their management to their unique world of communication that includes squeals, trills, chirps and amazing mimicking abilities."
Mauyak, whose name means "soft snow" in the Inuit language, had been at the Shedd Aquarium since 1997, after previously living at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington.
Shedd staff said she had "an especially fine, deep foghorn," noting that beluga whales are known for their wide array of vocalizations, which have earned them the nickname "canaries of the sea."
"She quickly became, and remained throughout her long life, an incredible ambassador for beluga whales, touching the lives of millions of people who were able to look her in the eye, marvel at her beauty, and experience her one-of-a-kind characteristics." said Senior Animal Caretaker Megan Vens-Policky. "Her legacy of impact is not only left on those she inspired during visits to the aquarium, but also on researchers in the field."
Mauyak was 11 feet long, and weighed 1,500 pounds, and was recognized by the dark grey streaks on the sides of her white body.
Shedd has eight other Belugas at their Oceanarium habitat.
In the wild, belugas are "near threatened" as a result of human activities such as noise, pollution, shipping vessel traffic, and industrial activities that cause disease, reduce habitat quality, and contaminate the food supply, according to Shedd staff.
The animals are found in arctic and subarctic waterways along the northern coasts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia.
Adult belugas can grow up to 15 feet long and more than 3,000 pounds, and in human care can live an average of 30 to 35 years.
