A beluga whale born at Georgia Aquarium is is stable but guarded condition. The young marine mammal was born in captivity on May 10, 2015 and has struggled to survive ever since.
The baby beluga is one of just six of the animals born at facilities across the country during the last five years. Since birth, the young female has struggled to gain weight at the proper rate, even while feeding on both milk from her mother and artificial formula.
"We have been working around the clock since the animal's birth to monitor and support both mother and calf, including consulting and working with the very best experts in the field of veterinary medicine," aquarium officials stated.
Maris, the mother of the young whale, has given birth once before, in 2012. However, that calf did not survive for long.
"Currently, the calf has stopped nursing and is still not gaining weight, even with our assistance ... The next few days will be critical. Our team will continue to be with the calf around-the-clock. Additional information about the beluga calf's condition will be reported as it is available," the Georgia Aquarium reported on its website.
The calf was 126 pounds when she was born on Mother's Day, but she gained just a single pound by the end of May. She nursed from her mother for the first time five days after being born. As long as she continues refusing to eat, the chances of her gaining weight and growing to adulthood remain slim.
Belugas typically inhabit the frigid waters of the Arctic, although a trio of the animals has recently been seen in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of New York. This species of marine mammal is classified as "near-threatened" around the globe, and endangered in some regions of the world.
The Georgia Aquarium is considered to be one of the top tourist attractions in the state. Workers there will continue to monitor the young whale 24 hours a day, as they try to get her to take in nourishment. She is the first beluga born to a pair of parents who were themselves bred in captivity. Her father is named Beethoven, a whale that has been transported to Chicago's Shedd Aquarium as part of a breeding program. Maris was born in 1994, two years after the birth of the young calf's father.
The baby beluga remains in "extremely guarded" condition at the facility, which is located in Atlanta.
