Mauyak, the matriarch of the beluga whale pod and the oldest beluga at Shedd Aquarium, died at the age of 41 on Saturday.
Mauyak first arrived at Shedd Aquarium in 1997 from Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash. as part of Shedd's involvement in a beluga breeding cooperative.
“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,” Chief Animal Operations Officer Peggy Sloan said.
She was born in 1981 and was recognizable for her dark grey streaks and contrasting white sides. Mauyak was 11 feet long and weighed 1,500 pounds, and was known for a deep foghorn-like vocalization.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
“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,” senior animal caretaker Megan Vens-Policky said.
While Mauyak's impact on the many visitors who saw her over the years is cherished, researchers are remembering the beloved beluga for her landmark participation in a photogrammetry study during her pregnancies that help field biologists more accurately identify pregnant whales in the wild.
Scientists estimate the average lifespan of beluga whales in human care to be 30 to 35 years, which is equal to or greater than the lifespan of beluga whales in the wild.
