Shedd Aquarium reveals new findings in deaths of 2 rescued belugas

Shedd Aquarium has released new findings about the deaths of two beluga whales rescued from Canada over the summer, revealing longstanding nutritional deficiencies and serious health complications that left them vulnerable to illness.The findings, released Monday, concern Osiris and Caspian, two of the four rescued belugas that have died since arriving at the Chicago aquarium.Necropsies reveal serious health complicationsAccording to Shedd Aquarium, necropsy reports found that both Osiris and Caspian suffered from depleted fat reserves and abnormalities affecting multiple internal organs.The findings were consistent with long-term nutritional and caloric deficiencies that weakened the whales and made it more difficult for them to recover from illness.Osiris, a 26-year-old female who died Sept. 21, had previously been diagnosed with chronic liver disease.Additional examinations revealed that her natural fat reserves were almost entirely depleted, with abnormalities affecting her liver a