Alice, The 'Larger-Than-Life' Georgia Aquarium Whale Shark, Dies

ATLANTA — Alice, a female whale shark who called the Georgia Aquarium home since 2006, has died after teams at the aquarium noticed changes in her bloodwork and behavior in recent weeks, the aquarium announced Monday.

In a social media post, aquarium officials said they are heartbroken over the news and said Alice’s caretakers had no choice but to euthanize her after her condition worsened on Sunday. Extraordinary measures were taken to help Alice, aquarium officials wrote in the post, but her condition continued to get worse, which made euthanasia “the only humane choice,” the post reads.

“She was surrounded by the incredibly dedicated team that cared for her every day, many of whom cared for her since she arrived in 2006,” the post said.

Alice arrived at the aquarium from Taiwan as a rescue after she was destined for a seafood market there, officials wrote in the post. She was the longest whale shark resident at the aquarium and contributed valuable information about the understanding of whale sharks.

Aquarium officials referred to Alice as a “larger-than-life” ambassador for her species and wowed guests from around the world who came to visit her at the Atlanta-based attraction.

“It was a tremendous honor to be the steward of Alice’s care and for that we will be forever grateful to her," officials wrote.