No cause of death yet for aquarium belugas, but facility to expand its exhibit

Feb 20, 2017 | 1:38 PM

Vancouver aquarium officials say they still don’t know what killed two beluga whales last year, but the facility is pushing ahead with plans to expand its beluga conservation program.

Aquarium CEO John Nightingale says the work it does with this vulnerable species is critical and as a marine science centre with conservation as its mission, they believe they have an obligation to continue that work.

Nightingale says they intend to phase out the program and it will no longer hold belugas after 2029.

The aquariums two belugas, 21-year-old called Qila and her mother, 30-year-old Aurora, died nine days apart last November from a mysterious illness and officials say they still haven’t ruled out “malicious action.”