A baby beluga whale being cared for at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta has died, caretakers for the animal reported on June 5. Workers at the facility worked diligently until the last moment to save the life of the baby behemoth.
The young whale weighed 126 pounds when she was born on May 10. By the end of that month, the calf gained just a single pound. Caregivers did their best to get the young marine mammal to nurse, as well as to consume artificial formula specially designed for beluga whales.
"Early on, we were pleased to see the calf complete several key milestones, including a successful birth and bonding with her mother. There were still some critical milestones to overcome, however, and we became concerned when we were not seeing the desired weight gain in the calf," said Gregory Bossart, senior vice president and chief veterinary officer of the Georgia Aquarium.
By the early morning of Friday, June 5, the young calf had grown lethargic and was only able to swim with the assistance of human caregivers. At around 7 a.m. EDT, the young beluga passed away, as aquarium personnel held the animal near her mother.
"While we recognize death is part of the natural cycle of life, this remains a difficult loss for the entire Aquarium team. Our devoted team of staff and trained volunteers brought an extraordinary level of work and dedication to ensure a smooth pregnancy, labor, delivery and ongoing care for Maris and her calf through thousands of hours of service over 16 months," Mike Leven, chairman and CEO of Georgia Aquarium said.
This is the second calf lost by the parents, the 20-year-old mother, Maris, and Beethoven, the 19-year-old father. The adult male is currently on loan as part of a breeding program. The pair was born in captivity, and no beluga calf born of two lifelong residents of aquariums has ever lived to adulthood.
Maris is being closely watched by her human crew, who have scheduled social time for the animal with humans and two beluga whales, Grayson and Qinu. For now, the aquarium has shut down public access to the beluga whale exhibit. Directors stated they would re-open the display when it is in the best interest of the animals.
Early analysis suggests the baby whale suffered from gastrointestinal issues, which may have prevented her from properly absorbing food and allowing her to gain weight. A necropsy (animal autopsy) could determine the exact cause of death, or the question may remain a mystery. Results should be made public in a few weeks.
