Maris, one of three beluga whales at the Georgia Aquarium, is expecting a baby.
Aquarium officials announced Tuesday that Maris was in her “second trimester” and was definitely showing.
The father is Beethoven, the aquarium’s older male, on breeding loan from SeaWorld. Though many aquariums use artificial insemination, Maris’ pregnancy occurred through natural breeding early this year.
Assuming she has a successful pregnancy, it would be the second child for the 20-year-old female. Maris carried a baby to term in 2012, but the calf, born with several health problems, survived for only five days.
The gestation period for belugas is 14-15 months, and Maris is due in late April or early May. Dr. Gregory Bossart, senior vice president and chief veterinary officer at the Georgia Aquarium, said Maris demonstrated great mothering skills back in 2012, and he was optimistic that she would do well this time.
“She had superb maternal behavior,” Bossart said. “The chances increase with consecutive pregnancies, for a successful pregnancy and birth.”
Facilities that exhibit belugas frequently exchange animals to maximize the chances of a successful breeding program. That policy has kept Beethoven busy. He has been moved to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where he will be expected to perform similar duties.
It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.
There are two other belugas at the Georgia Aquarium: a 7-year-old male, Grayson, and a 6-year-old female, Qinu. Both should learn a great deal by watching Maris go through this process, Bossart said.
Even though belugas have been having babies for many thousands of years, Bossart points out that pregnancy and childbirth are challenging for this species. For belugas, the risk is high at the moment of birth, when the baby must find that first breath of air.
“You’re delivering an air-breathing mammal into a totally aquatic environment,” Bossart said. Should the mother fail to help the baby surface, the aquarium will have a group of divers ready to lend a hand. “We did that with her first calf,” he said. “We had to help it along to take its first breath.”
The Georgia Aquarium submitted a request in 2012 to import 18 additional belugas into the country from Russian waters. However, it was turned down last year by the federal government, which stated that the government couldn’t determine whether the removal of those animals would adversely affect wild populations. The aquarium has filed suit to have that decision reversed.
The goal of adding belugas to the U.S. population already in captivity was to offer greater genetic diversity, and keep the current population sustainable, aquarium officials said.
