Beloved beluga whale dies suddenly at Georgia Aquarium
A beloved beluga whale at Georgia Aquarium passed away on Thursday.
According to a release from the aquarium, the death of Maris came as a surprise. She had showed no signs of illness and had been eating normally.
"This is a case of sudden, acute animal death," said Dr. Bossart. "Our animals receive exceptional care, and our dedicated team of experts responded to her within minutes to render aid."
According to the aquarium, Maris was one of the first beluga whales at the facility. Born in 1994 at the New York Aquarium, Maris arrived at Georgia Aquarium in November 2005.
A necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
Gallery: Georgia Aquarium
In May, Maris gave birth to a baby calf. Sadly, the calf passed away after a few weeks. Maris gave birth to her first calf in May 2012, but it also did not survive.