VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 23 (UPI) -- Canada's Vancouver Aquarium is mourning the loss of its one-year-old baby beluga whale, Nala, officials say.
The beloved calf died apparently from an airway obstruction just two weeks short of her first birthday, the Vancouver Sun reported Wednesday.
Aquarium veterinarian Dr. Martin Haulena said a necropsy on Nala showed the calf had a pocket off her airway that contained a couple of rocks and a penny.
Haulena said the pocket had become inflamed resulting in an airway obstruction that caused fluid to accumulate in Nala's lungs.
Staff treated the young beluga with medication for a suspected infection and she appeared to improve over the weekend.
On Monday, her health suddenly took a turn for the worse and she died that night.
"I'm still racking my brain to try to figure out what we could have done about it," Haulena said.
