The Newest, Cutest Baby Animals from the World's Zoos & Aquariums

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Alaska SeaLife Center Bottlefeeding 2b

Four accredited U.S. aquariums have come together in an effort to save a newborn Beluga whale calf which was found stranded in South Naknek, Alaska last week - this is the first time in history that a live calf has been found and rescued in U.S. waters. Marine mammal experts with a combined 125 years of experience from Shedd Aquarium, SeaWorld and Georgia Aquarium immediately answered the Alaska SeaLife Center’s call for assistance to provide around-the-clock care for the calf during this rehabilitation period. The male, 112-pound calf is touch-and-go at this point and considered in critical condition – especially due to his immature immune system, and remains under 24-hour observation.

This is a great example of how the aquarium community comes together to work collaboratively in order do what’s best for an animal in need.

Alaska SeaLife Center Baby Beluga 1

DSCN0923Photo credits 1 and 2 and video: Alaska SeaLife Center. Photo 3: Provided by Shedd Aquarium featuring SeaWorld's Bill Winhall and Shedd Aquarium's Lisa Takaki

8 responses to “Marine Mammal Experts Work Round-the-Clock to Save Orphan Baby Beluga”

  1. Magnoliasouth Avatar

    I’ll be praying for him. He is just so sweet and precious. I hope they succeed in caring for him.

  2. Rita Avatar
    Rita

    Oh, how precious! He deserves a life! I hope all these heads together can pull him through.

  3. Pauline Avatar
    Pauline

    Will he bond with his caregivers or does he need another beluga whale? Can he be put with a surrogate mom at some point?

  4. Osakanaut Avatar

    Cute 😀 But no foster parent(s)? Seems kind of lonely/stressful for a baby.

  5. Andrew Bleiman Avatar

    Alaska SeaLife Center doesn’t exhibit beluga whales. It was the closest facility to the stranding site. We’re guessing that the marine mammal experts involved in the calf’s care believe that moving the baby to another facility that did have belugas would be too stressful/risky at this time. We wouldn’t be surprised if they did make the move once the calf was a bit bigger and healthier.

  6. zizzley Avatar
    zizzley

    jeff corwin in the first picture?

  7. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    I’m still a bit miffed he wasn’t named Raffi. I mean, come on, that’s the perfect name for a baby Baluga, like the song he wrote!

  8. Sithina Avatar
    Sithina

    Sad to report that the orphaned baby did not make it, even given the incredible care he received: http://tinyurl.com/bvq933e
    Such a tragedy, given all the hope there was for the little guy’s success, but a learning experience as well.

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