ATLANTA — A beluga whale at the Georgia Aquarium gave birth on Mother’s Day to a female calf.
The calf reached an important milestone shortly after birth when it swam to the surface for its first breath. Aquarium officials are monitoring the calf around the clock.
The birth of the as-yet-unnamed calf is the first viable calf to be born to parents who were also born in human care. The mother, Maris, was born in 1994 at the New York Aquarium, while the father, Beethoven, was born in 1992 at SeaWorld San Antonio.
“Our experienced team is providing the best care available to both calf and mom and will continue to provide 24-hour care as long as is required,” Eric Gaglione, director of zoological operations, mammals and birds, at Georgia Aquarium, said in a news release. Animal care is the top priority at Georgia Aquarium, and our team continues to fulfill our commitment to do whatever it takes to provide the finest care for our animals.”