Ailing beluga whale euthanized at Georgia Aquarium

<p>Gasper, the beluga whale who became one of the first stars of the world's largest aquarium after being moved from an amusement park in Mexico, was euthanized Tuesday after months of declining health, officials said.</p><p>The 12-foot whale _ a favorite of visitors to the Georgia Aquarium with his ghostly white body and playful nature _ had suffered from a bone disease and weakened immune system since arriving on Oct. 17, 2005. He was 17.</p><p>Aquarium director Jeff Swanagan said experts knew Gasper was ill when they found him and Nico, another beluga, living in a tank beneath a roller coaster that buzzed over their heads 64 times a day.</p><p>"We knew this was going to be a challenged animal," Swanagan said. "Thanks to the generosity of Bernie Marcus, we knew we had a facility and a team that we could put together to provide for an animal like no one else could. It was a calculated risk."</p><p>Marcus, a co-founder of Home Depot and founder of the aquarium, donated $200 million to build the 8 million gallon attraction. It opened Nov. 23, 2005.</p><p>In a written statement, Marcus said he and his wife Billi were saddened by Gasper's death, but "comforted in knowing that Gasper received the finest care available."</p><p>Gasper came to the Georgia Aquarium underweight and with numerous skin lesions. Soon after, aquarium veterinarians discovered Gasper had osteomyelitis, a potentially deadly bone disease. He was taken off exhibit for treatment in April, and hundreds of get-well wishes flooded the aquarium. Many of the cards came from schoolchildren.</p><p>By October Gasper's health had worsened, and last month he became gravely ill.</p><p>As early as a week ago, veterinarians at the aquarium began considering euthanasia as their most likely option, Swanagan said.</p><p>"We have so much technology and support _ we just wanted to give him every chance to pull through and almost be our miracle animal," he said.</p><p>Animal rights activists said Gasper's death is a reminder of the problems associated with keeping whales in aquariums.</p><p>Sharon Young, a marine animal expert with the Humane Society of the United States, said Gasper likely got the best care possible at the Atlanta aquarium, but that belugas should never be kept in captivity.</p><p>"These are animals that normally swim hundreds of miles a day; they generally don't do as well in captivity as other animals," said Young, who is based in Cape Cod, Mass. "I'm sure he was given the best care he could get, but if we did not keep animals in captivity, he would not have been in Mexico in the first place."</p><p>She said the Georgia Aquarium's decision to display belugas and massive whale sharks bucks a trend of aquariums moving away from keeping the animals. The Georgia facility had the nation's first new whale display in a decade, she said.</p><p>Swanagan cited the aquarium's 4R (Rehabilitation, Relocation, Rescue and Research) Program, which cares in part for animals in the wild, and said animals on display like Gasper help encourage the public to be kinder to the environment.</p><p>He said the quality of life for belugas at the aquarium is an improvement over the wild in some ways.</p><p>"I guarantee you Gasper is very grateful that he didn't have a polar bear jumping on his back," Swanagan said. "That's exactly what would have happened in the wild."</p><p>Along with Nico, the aquarium has three female belugas on display.</p><p>Swanagan said a beluga whale sculpture honoring Gasper is being developed for the aquarium's entrance plaza.</p><p>There are no plans for a memorial service, although there may be some sort of ceremony when the statue is unveiled, according to aquarium spokeswoman Ashley Manning.</p><p>Manning said Gasper's remains will be cremated and spread at an undisclosed animal cemetery.</p><p>Aquarium guests may sign memory books located on the first and second floors of the beluga whale exhibit.</p><p>___</p><p>On the Net:</p><p>HASH(0x1cdeabc)</p>

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