The Georgia Aquarium’s largest female whale shark has died, the facility announced Friday.
In a statement on Facebook, the aquarium said the whale shark, named Trixie, died Friday after “having difficulty navigating the habitat earlier in the day.” Her health quickly declined.
Trixie arrived at the aquarium from Taipei, Taiwan, in 2006, joining male whale sharks Ralph and Norton. Another female, Alice, also arrived with her. The male whale sharks died in 2007. Two other males, Taroko and Yushan, joined them in the 6 million-gallon tank.
“We are saddened to say our largest female whale shark, Trixie, passed away today, November 27. She was having difficulty navigating the habitat earlier in the day and then her health rapidly declined,” the statement said. “Even after exhaustive veterinary and animal care efforts, she ultimately passed away. Trixie was one of our first whale sharks when she arrived in 2006 and she contributed enormously to our understanding of whale sharks and their care. Loss is inevitable, but that does not make it any less painful. We are so proud to have been stewards of her care for 15 years. We will miss you, Trixie.”
In the wild, whale sharks are considered endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Threats to the species include getting tangled in fishing nets, hit by boats, ingesting marine debris and microplastics, and human interference through unregulated tourism, according to the Georgia Aquarium website.
About the Author
