Shedd Aquarium announces successful birth of beluga whale

Chicago's Shedd Aquarium is celebrating the birth early Monday of a beluga whale who came into this world measuring 4 1/2 feet and weighing about 150 pounds.

Both mother and calf will remain under around-the-clock observation during the next several days, but the birth and early moments in the calf's life went well.

"In less than 24 hours after birth, the calf achieved the first critical milestones that we look for, including taking its first breath, bonding with mom and we’ve seen attempts at nursing," said Ken Ramirez, executive vice president of animal care and training at Shedd.

"Shedd’s long history of research and care of these animals tells us that these initial behaviors indicate a strong calf; but we will continue to monitor for signs of development, including steady nursing and growth."

The mother, Mauyak, handled the labor and birth like the expert she is, having delivered two previous calves into the Shedd universe.

Both animals remain off exhibit during the observation period. The calf's father, Naluark, is on a breeding exchange at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut.

Shedd, which is part of the North America beluga whale breeding cooperative, now has seven belugas.

The facility made headlines three months ago after the successful birth of its first-ever Pacific white-sided dolphin. The dolphin and his mom are big hits in the the Misty Passage portion of the Abbott Oceanarium.

--Image showing newborn beluga whale and mother is courtesy of Shedd Aquarium

Comments

[Aquarium Services]

Thats a good news, the baby looks amazing and cute.

[Lorena]

Neither of her two previous calves are alive. She had one in June 23, 1998 that didn't even live past a day. The 2005 calf was a still born, July 10, 2005. the "Luga'logue has a list of living and deceased belugas in American aquariums. http://ceta-base.com/lugalogue/deceasedlugas/deadlugas_shedd.html. Only four out of five of their births are still alive....excluding the new calf. Hopefully this one makes it, as the captive breeding program is not as successful as claimed. There are only about 34 in American aquariums, a lot of which are past breeding age. Unable to create a sustainable captive population, the Georgia Aquarium is now trying to import Russian wild caught belugas, to rejuvenate a failed breeding program.

The Website also has a listing for other dolphins, living and dead, under the "Phin'ventory". The number of Pacific White-sided dolphins Shedd has had can be viewed as well. It is flat out wrong to say that the Shedd has never had a captive birth for Pacific White-sided dolphins. They have. Four in fact. The last one was on June 3, 2011, by Tique. 2011 wasn't that long ago.