Connecticut aquarium pays over $12K to settle beluga care investigation

Associated Press

A Connecticut aquarium where three beluga whales have died from illnesses since 2021 has agreed to settle a federal investigation that found alleged animal care and water quality violations. Mystic Aquarium will pay a $12,200 fine as part of the settlement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture while not admitting or denying that any violations occurred. Aquarium officials disputed the investigation’s findings and said the whale deaths were not related to the alleged violations. The aquarium says the three whales died from genetic illnesses that were not detectable before they were imported from a Canadian facility.