Echo’s Death Brings Marineland Transfer Toll to Five

A dolphin transferred from Marineland to an aquarium in Spain has died, bringing to five the number of animals from the closed Canadian attraction reported dead after relocation this summer. The cause of Echo’s death has not been established, and Oceanogràfic Valencia said it would conduct a necropsy with pathology specialists from CEU Cardenal Herrera University. The aquarium said Echo developed difficulty swallowing and respiratory problems, was moved to a medical pool and deteriorated rapidly before dying overnight. She had arrived with severe vision problems and other medical needs requiring individualized care and monitoring, according to the aquarium. It said the other four animals sent from Canada to Valencia were doing well and remained under care. The five reported deaths comprise four belugas and one dolphin. The belugas were Peekachu, Rain and Osiris, who died at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, and Jelly Bean, who died in Valencia. Echo was the dolphin. The aquarium deaths and their causes remain under investigation; necropsy results were not available in the reports.