Georgia Aquarium whale shark euthanized after health deterioration, officials say

Date:2025-08-22 04:07:57 Category:US Views:1 Comment:0

ATLANTA (WRBL) — A whale shark at one of the largest aquariums in the world has died, officials say.

Taroko, the Georgia Aquarium’s male whale shark, was euthanized Wednesday after the team noticed changes in his health.

“Our team noticed changes in his appetite and behavior through wellness monitoring, and his overall condition was deteriorating despite all veterinary and care interventions. Last night, we made the humane decision to euthanize.” the Georgia Aquarium said in a social media post.

The aquarium says Taroko spent nearly two decades in Atlanta, coming from Taiwan where he was rescued from a seafood market. Taroko will undergo a necropsy to understand more about his health condition.

Officials at the aquarium say the whale shark helped more than 43 million people learn about the species and contributed data on whale shark biology, health and behavior.