A Connecticut aquarium has reached a settlement with federal authorities following an investigation into alleged violations related to animal care and water quality, agreeing to pay a fine of $12,200. The Mystic Aquarium faced scrutiny after three beluga whales died in recent years due to illnesses after being relocated from Canada in 2021.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture put forth the settlement proposal on Aug. 13, which the aquarium accepted without admitting or denying the accusations. Despite disagreements over whether violations occurred, a spokesperson from the aquarium confirmed their agreement to the conditions set forth.
According to Meagan Seacor, the vice president of external relations for the aquarium, the cited violations by the Department of Agriculture did not contribute to the deaths of the three whales. She mentioned that the whales had underlying health issues that were not identifiable before their arrival at Mystic Aquarium.
The three deceased beluga whales were part of a group of five transferred from Marineland in Ontario following a protracted legal battle for permits from both the U.S. and Canada. The deaths included a male beluga named Havok, who passed away in 2021 from an intestinal disease, and two females, Havana and Kharabali, who succumbed to storage disease in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Among the violations highlighted by federal investigators were lapses in the care of Havok, including the failure to promptly seek veterinary care as his health deteriorated. The investigators also flagged instances where Havok sustained injuries due to collisions within the aquarium premises.
Furthermore, water quality concerns arose from elevated levels of coliform bacteria detected in the beluga pools in late 2021. While the settlement acknowledged a potential link between the bacteria and Havana’s medical issues, it did not definitively establish a causal relationship.
Despite the settlement, the Mystic Aquarium defended its actions, attributing the spike in bacteria levels to equipment malfunctions that were swiftly addressed. The agreement to settle was made to avoid prolonged and costly legal proceedings challenging the alleged violations, the aquarium spokesperson noted.
Following these incidents, animal advocacy groups monitored the aquarium’s treatment of the whales. According to Naomi Rose, a senior scientist specializing in marine mammal biology, Mystic Aquarium previously had a solid reputation for animal care but faced significant scrutiny during the federal investigation.
Beluga whales, renowned for their white coloring, are relatively petite whales, typically measuring 11 to 15 feet in length and weighing up to 2,500 pounds. With a lifespan of 35 to 50 years in the wild, these marine mammals can live longer, reaching up to 80 years. Mystic Aquarium currently houses five belugas across pools totaling 750,000 gallons of water.