Things to Do
Things to Do

Beluga whale at Georgia Aquarium to be a mom

By Melissa Ruggieri
Nov 16, 2011

There’s a good chance visitors to Georgia Aquarium will see a beluga baby in late spring. Maris, a 17-year-old beluga, is pregnant with her first calf, fathered by her partner Beethoven.

First-time pregnancies in cetaceans are commonly unsuccessful both in their natural habitat and captivity, but the aquarium staff is optimistic for a successful birth.

Maris, who became pregnant naturally, has resided at Georgia Aquarium since its 2005 opening and is one of four on site and 35 in human care in the U.S.

About the Author

Melissa Ruggieri has covered music and entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2010 and created the Atlanta Music Scene blog. She's kept vampire hours for more than two decades and remembers when MTV was awesome.

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