What happened to the whale sharks in the Georgia Aquarium?

Associated Press mentioned after Ralph and Norton died that “Some aquarium experts believe a chemical (trichlorfon) used to treat the whale sharks' tank for parasites caused the two big sharks to stop eating, and led to a cascading series of problems that ultimately caused their deaths.”



People Also Ask

But when another of the rare fish at the Georgia Aquarium died Wednesday, there was talk of carelessness: It was, in short, a public relations crisis. Norton, a 23-foot juvenile whale shark and one of the stars of Atlanta's super-sized aquarium, was euthanized after he had slowly spiraled to the bottom of his tank.

MORE DETAILS

The beluga whale exhibit, which includes three of the animals, is closed for an indefinite amount of time. The reopening is “dependent on how mom and calf are progressing after the birth,” according to a spokeswoman. We want to give them as much privacy as possible to allow for them to bond and nurse, she said.

MORE DETAILS

In Defense of Animals also criticized the Georgia Aquarium for having swim-with-dolphin programs, holding belugas inside an enclosed building and shipping belugas across the country with no apparent regard for their social, psychological and physical well-being.

MORE DETAILS

Maris, a captive-born beluga brought to Georgia Aquarium on Nov. 6, 2005, died last Thursday afternoon at the age of 21.

MORE DETAILS

Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Florida Visiting the Georgia Aquarium will be like a dream as it is the largest aquarium in the country! With more than 10 million gallons worth of display tanks, it is also the only aquarium in the US to feature whale sharks, the largest fish of any kind currently living.

MORE DETAILS

Georgia Aquarium is now licensed as a Class R research facility under the Animal Welfare Act. This license is the highest standard of establishing ethical review of animal research for advanced scientific understanding.

MORE DETAILS