Two beluga whales died Wednesday at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, marking the second and third marine mammal losses at the facility in just over a week following a massive international relocation effort.

Aquarium officials confirmed the deaths of Rain, a 20-year-old female recently transferred from the shuttered Marineland theme park in Ontario, and Beethoven, a 34-year-old male who had resided at Shedd for more than three decades. The unexpected passings follow the loss of Peekachu, another 22-year-old rescued beluga who died at the facility late last month.

Veterinary teams engaged in immediate lifesaving measures, but both animals died Wednesday afternoon. Comprehensive necropsies, blood tests, and diagnostic exams are currently underway to determine the exact causes of death and evaluate whether the passings are linked.

Rain was part of a high-profile, multi-institution effort to rehome 30 belugas and four dolphins left behind after Marineland permanently closed its doors in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Shedd Aquarium agreed to take in ten of the belugas. The relocation process involved custom-built transport containers and continuous veterinary oversight during transit.

Canadian officials and participating partner facilities, including the Georgia Aquarium and SeaWorld locations in Texas and California, have closely monitored the health of all relocated animals. Meanwhile, animal advocacy organizations in Canada have raised questions regarding the pre-transport health screenings and conditioning of the whales prior to their departure from Ontario.

Shedd Aquarium care staff continue to provide 24-hour monitoring for the facility’s remaining beluga population as diagnostic results remain pending.