San Antonio SeaWorld welcomes 125-pound beluga whale calf
Calf already seen bonding with mother
Michelle Ganley, Graham Media Group
Photo courtesy SeaWorld
SAN ANTONIO – SeaWorld San Antonio has welcomed a new addition to its beluga whale family, the park announced Sunday.
The calf’s mother, Crissy, delivered the animal at 12:34 p.m. local time.
The calf weighs about 125 pounds.
Park veterinarians, animal care staff members and trainers were on hand for the birth. The calf has already been seen bonding with its mother. She’s expected to start nursing soon.
“At birth, beluga calves are generally dark gray to bluish or brownish gray, becoming darker at about one month,” a news release from SeaWorld said. “Belugas change to white as they age and reach maturity around 5 years old, though they can take up to eight years to turn completely white. It will take some time before animal care specialists can get close enough to determine the gender. The calf’s presumed sire, ‘Imaq,’ also resides at SeaWorld San Antonio.”
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Photo courtesy SeaWorld
Beluga Stadium will be closed for the immediate future to accommodate mother and calf bonding time. The park will host visiting hours for people to greet the calf.