Beluga whale death likely age-related

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The death of a 46-year-old female beluga whale at Canada's Vancouver Aquarium was likely age-related, but will be investigated further, officials said.

The whale named Kavna died Monday afternoon after showing "inconsistent behavior" during the past few weeks, the aquarium said in a release. Blood tests and other veterinary examinations were inconclusive, the facility said.

Spokeswoman Charlene Chiang said most beluga whales in the wild have a lifespan of about 30 years, so to live an estimated 46 years in captivity was a "long and healthy life," the Vancouver Sun reported.

A 2-day necropsy process began Tuesday to assess factors in the whale's death, the report said.

The whale came to the aquarium from a facility in Churchill, Manitoba, in 1976. A year later, Kavna had a calf that died of an infection at the age of four months.

The aquarium has two other female beluga whales, a mother and calf.