Harbour porpoise Daisy dies at Vancouver Aquarium

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The Vancouver Aquarium is mourning the loss of yet another high-profile marine animal.

Daisy, a harbour porpoise, died on Thursday.

She was just a month old when rescued by the aquarium in 2008.

The aquarium says there was a change in her behaviour earlier this month and because of that was receiving round the clock care.

Preliminary necropsy results indicate she had pulmonary disease. The harbour porpoise is a species of special concern on the BC coast. Latest estimates put their average lifespan at eight -12 years.

Qila and Aurora, a mother and daughter set of belugas, died within weeks of each other last fall.

The death of Daisy leaves the aquarium with only two cetaceans – Helen, a Pacific white-side dolphin and Chester, a false killer.

Daisy was nine.

On Thursday, the aquarium announced it would legally challenge the park board for imposing a ban last month on the display of cetaceans.

The amendment means the cetaceans currently at the aquarium can remain there, but no others can be brought in.

The aquarium argues the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation did not have the legal authority to make the change.

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