Georgia Aquarium Euthanizes Beloved Male Whale Shark Taroko

Taroko, a male whale shark at the Georgia Aquarium, was euthanized after his health deteriorated despite veterinary care. Rescued from a seafood market in Taiwan in 2007, Taroko lived at the aquarium for nearly two decades and helped educate over 43 million visitors about whale sharks. The aquarium emphasized his significant contribution to research on whale shark biology, health, and behavior. Taroko was one of the last whale sharks at the facility, with the other male shark, Yushan, still in good health. The aquarium plans to perform a necropsy to better understand the cause of Taroko's declining health. Whale sharks have been a flagship species at the Georgia Aquarium, housed in the massive Ocean Voyager tank, which holds 6.3 million gallons of water and supports over 50 species.