Vet says cancer may be the cause of the Vancouver aquarium’s beluga death

VANCOUVER – A veterinarian at the Vancouver Aquarium says the facility’s eldest beluga whale appears to have died of cancer associated with old age.

Kavna, a female whale that was approximately 46 years old, died at the aquarium on Monday.

Dr. Martin Haulena says the whale’s health declined in the past week as fluid and other debris built up in its reproductive system.

He says the whale initially responded to hormone treatment, but the mammal died Monday afternoon.

Haulena notes belugas have an average lifespan of 25 to 30 years in the wild and Kavna far outlived that.

Kavna arrived at the Vancouver Aquarium in 1976 after it was captured off Churchill, Man.