The Shedd Aquarium’s four new beluga whales each have their own distinct personalities, but telling them apart can be difficult if you’re not an expert.
The whales were brought to Shedd from a closed Canadian marine park earlier this month in a major rescue operation that involved a plane and trucks. They are among 30 whales that are part of an international rescue effort.
The new whales will not be immediately available for public viewing as they acclimate to their new surroundings. Sections of the facility are blocked off, and black fabric covers windows normally showing off the aquarium’s inhabitants. Through a locked door, Shedd staff watch the belugas 24/7.
During a recent visit by the Tribune, the four belugas could be seen rubbing against each other and swimming from the surface to the oceanarium’s bottom in clean arcs.
Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training, said differentiating the belugas can be difficult.
“I kind of describe it as identical twins,” he said. “If you don’t know them, it’s hard to tell them apart.”
While he could confidently identify the four belugas, Jacobsma said you have to know what physical characteristics to look for.
So, how are Shedd’s four new beluga whales distinct?
Osiris
Jacobsma described Osiris, 26, as a leader in the group, or an anchor for the other whales. She weighs 2,000 pounds.
“She really guides all the other animals in there, which we knew, and that’s one of the reasons that she was brought in with this group,” he said.
A key way Jacobsma tells Osiris apart is by her more narrow face. The front of her skull is “very unique,” he said, as it’s shaped almost like a duck’s bill. Part of Osiris’ tail also sticks out a bit more.
Lillooet
Referred to by staff as “Lilly,” Jacobsma said she has a round face and is whiter than other belugas. Lillooet, 21, also has a darker dorsal ridge, the raised area on a beluga’s back that allows it to more easily swim under ice, according to a Facebook post by Mystic Aquarium, which is assisting in the rescue effort.
Many whales and dolphins have a dorsal fin on their backs. Belugas, however, only have the ridge.
“Belugas don’t really need that stability because they’re not necessarily a really quick-moving animal,” Jacobsma said. “They are a lot more agile than the dolphins in terms of moving and twisting.”
He described Lillooet as a “very calm lady” who goes along with the flow. She weighs 1,900 pounds.
Acadia
Acadia, 27, has a bit of a wider face. The spherical melon on top of belugas’ heads is especially round for her. Out of the four belugas, Jacobsma said Acadia is the largest at 2,400 pounds.
He also said Acadia has a calm personality, and she often swims by the window to greet watchers.
“(Lillooet) and Acadia both are very calm animals, very gentle animals,” Jacobsma said.
Sierra
Beluga whale named Sierra is transported by a group of experts from Marineland and several U.S. aquariums onto a truck at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on July 20, 2026. (Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press)
Less peaceful is Sierra, 26, at 1,850 pounds.
“Sierra’s spunky,” Jacobsma said. “Sierra is full of energy.”
She has distinctive freckles on her peduncle, the area where a whale’s tail connects to the body, Jacobsma said. This especially makes her easy to tell apart, as the rest of Sierra is very white when compared with other belugas.
Both Sierra and Acadia have adult offspring at Marineland of Canada, according to an email from a Shedd Aquarium spokesperson.
Belugas swim at the Arctic Cove exhibit at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Canada on Nov. 13, 2025. (Daphné Lemelin/Getty-AFP)
Beluga whales swim in a tank at Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, June 9, 2023. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)
A beluga whale surfaces from a tank to be fed by an employee at Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, June 9, 2023. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)
Several beluga whales swim at the closed Arctic Cove exhibit at Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Canada, on Nov. 13, 2025. (Daphné Lemelin/Getty-AFP)
The closed Arctic Cove exhibit at Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Canada, on Nov. 13, 2025, where several beluga whales are being kept. (Daphné Lemelin/Getty-AFP)
Several beluga whales swim at the closed Arctic Cove exhibit at Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Canada, on Nov. 13, 2025. (Daphné Lemelin/Getty-AFP)
Graffiti on a sidewalk in front of the closed Marineland park reads: “Let the belugas live,” in Niagara Falls, Canada, on Nov, 13, 2025. (Daphné Lemelin/Getty-AFP)
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Belugas swim at the Arctic Cove exhibit at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Canada on Nov. 13, 2025. (Daphné Lemelin/Getty-AFP)
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Convivial animals
These four belugas are part of a total of 10 Shedd staff members eventually hope to bring from Marineland of Canada, the closed theme park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. They will join eight belugas already living at Shedd.
According to a previous Shedd news release, Marineland threatened to euthanize 30 belugas. Facilities in the U.S. and Spain plan to take the rest.
Beluga whales are found globally in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Many are near Alaska.
Some beluga populations are listed as endangered or depleted, and the whales have been hunted for subsistence, commerce and sport.
Jacobsma said the four belugas at Shedd all appear to be doing well.
“We’re looking for them to be curious about what’s around them, foraging, socializing with each other, basically showing engagement with other belugas, their environment and trainers,” said Karisa Tang, lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Shedd Aquarium.
If the whales aren’t doing those things, it could be cause for concern, she said. Experts would then try to figure out if the cause is a medical issue or something social. Beluga whales are very convivial animals, and the four were chosen to travel with each other due to “preexisting bonds,” according to a Shedd news release.
Tang said the rest of the rescues will take place over the next several weeks.
Shedd representatives declined to give more specifics regarding the timeline of the whales’ move. Tang and Jacobsma were both unable to say whether the four belugas currently at Shedd would be viewable by the public before the rest, or if all 10 would be revealed at the same time.
“We’re gonna take every step at the whales’ pace, and that may be different, depending on the different groups of whales, the different individuals,” Tang said.