Beluga whale Kairo dies at Oceanogràfic València

A marine park in Spain has announced the death of one of the beluga whales it holds in captivity. Valencia’s Oceanografic released a statement that the male whale called Kairo had died after 20 years being held at the park. He was brought to the park from the Mar de Plata aquarium in Argentina. It is thought Kairo may have been around 30-35 years old.

In 2006, Kairo made the news after he fathered a calf with Yulka, a young beluga whale that had only just reached sexual maturity. Sadly, the calf died after just 25 days. Yulka continues to be held at the park along with their five-year-old calf, Kylu.

The park is the only one in Europe to hold captive belugas, a species that in the wild lives in the cold waters of the arctic.