Cephalopodcast

[via tastyblogsnack]

Sad news. The Georgia Aquarium has lost another whale shark. Norton is the second whale shark to die at the facility.

ATLANTA (AP) - Norton, 1 of the original whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium, died early today, the aquarium’s second whale shark death in five months.

Aquarium officials said in a statement that in the last few months, Norton had stopped eating and showed erratic swimming behavior. The Georgia Aquarium hosts the only whale sharks on display outside of Asia.

Husbandry staff noticed a decline in Norton’s swimming behavior yesterday and blood work confirmed a decline in his health.

Norton had been placed on a 24-hour watch. Officials said early this morning, the whale shark stopped swimming and settled to the bottom of his tank.

• More: Second whale shark dies at Georgia Aquarium
• See also: Ralph, one of the Georgia Aquarium whale sharks, dies suddenly
• Another captive whale shark dies suddenly
• Divers Find Whale Shark In South Florida