CALGARY — Jelly Bean, a 19-year-old beluga relocated from Marineland in Niagara Falls to Spain last month, has died suddenly.Oceanogràfic in Valencia announced Friday that Jelly Bean died after experiencing feeding difficulties in recent days.She is the third beluga from Marineland to die following relocation, after Rain and Peekachu died after being transferred to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.According to the aquarium, its veterinary team had increased monitoring of the beluga and provided round-the-clock care. Jelly Bean reportedly showed signs of improvement and remained responsive to her caregivers before her death.Despite those efforts, she died “suddenly and unexpectedly,” the aquarium said. .Jelly Bean arrived at Oceanogràfic on Aug. 27 alongside another Marineland beluga, Cleopatra, and four bottlenose dolphins.The animals were transported as part of efforts to relocate the remaining marine mammals from Marineland following the closure of the Niagara Falls attraction in 2024.Shortly after arriving in Spain, Oceanogràfic said both Jelly Bean and Cleopatra were adapting positively to their new surroundings.The aquarium reported that the belugas were eating their full diets, exploring their new habitat and beginning to establish relationships with their new caregivers. Just weeks later, Jelly Bean had died.Her death is the latest involving belugas connected to the relocation effort.Rain and Peekachu, two other Marineland belugas, died after being transferred to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Beethoven, a resident beluga at Shedd, also died during the same period. Shedd Aquarium has said its investigation into the deaths remains ongoing..Marineland said it was “deeply saddened” to learn of Jelly Bean’s death.“Our thoughts are with the people who cared for her – the staff and caretakers who knew her daily, and everyone who followed her story,” the facility said in a statement provided to CHCH News.Marineland added that the circumstances surrounding her death were not known to the organization.A necropsy will now be conducted by Oceanogràfic’s veterinary team in collaboration with pathologists from CEU Cardenal Herrera University to determine the cause of death. At this time, Oceanogràfic said the cause of Jelly Bean’s death is unknown.
