Baby Beluga Born in Georgia Aquarium
Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 8:29 am
FILE - This July 4, 2012, file photo, shows Dennis Christen of the Georgia Aquarium feeding a bottle to a baby beluga calf being rehabilitated at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska.
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta announced Tuesday the birth of a baby beluga whale earlier this month and released video of the mother delivering her calf.
Staff at the aquarium say the calf was born Sunday, May 17 to a 20-year-old whale named Whisper.
Video released by the aquarium showed Whisper swimming as the baby whale was being born tale-first.
At birth, the calf weighed 174 pounds and measured 5 feet and 4 inches long.
In a statement, the aquarium staff say after the birth, the mother and calf were moved away from other whales where they could rest and bond, and staff are keeping close watch over the pair.
The aquarium says the typical gestation period for beluga whales is 15 to 16 months. Births most frequently occur in late spring or early summer.
The Georgia Aquarium remains closed to the public to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.