My family & I are back from two weeks vacation on Hornby Island. (I hope to be posting some of our holiday pix soon)
In the meantime, here is an update from the Vancouver Aquarium on the beluga calf:
The Aquarium’s marine mammal & veterinary teams are reporting continued positive developments in the baby beluga.
She’s becoming more curious with her surroundings. The calf will now at times approach the glass which is part of the Aquarium’s underwater viewing gallery and have a look at the Aquarium visitors who are fortunate enough to spend a few minutes observing this amazing creature.
Upon surfacing, the baby beluga is now making her vocalizations in the open air. Some squeaking and rattling can be heard from her at the surface of the water. She’s even sounding “raspberries”, which is similar to the human behaviour of sticking out your tongue and blowing out air!
The baby beluga continues to develop in physical size, too. She is now nearly double the size compared to her appearance at birth. Her length has increased by a considerable amount and her girth has also expanded in a very noticeable way.
She is just completing her moult (a shedding of her skin) with her appearance smoothing out once again. Occasionally you may still observe her on the Aquarium’s beluga cam rubbing her exterior alongside a ledge in her habitat. That behaviour is a natural part of her moulting process as she attempts to finish this phase of her development.
The baby’s mom, Qila, often finds her little one swimming alongside her now. The baby is staying close and often mimicking or repeating some of Qila’s swimming patterns and characteristics.
She’s becoming more curious with her surroundings. The calf will now at times approach the glass which is part of the Aquarium’s underwater viewing gallery and have a look at the Aquarium visitors who are fortunate enough to spend a few minutes observing this amazing creature.
Upon surfacing, the baby beluga is now making her vocalizations in the open air. Some squeaking and rattling can be heard from her at the surface of the water. She’s even sounding “raspberries”, which is similar to the human behaviour of sticking out your tongue and blowing out air!
The baby beluga continues to develop in physical size, too. She is now nearly double the size compared to her appearance at birth. Her length has increased by a considerable amount and her girth has also expanded in a very noticeable way.
She is just completing her moult (a shedding of her skin) with her appearance smoothing out once again. Occasionally you may still observe her on the Aquarium’s beluga cam rubbing her exterior alongside a ledge in her habitat. That behaviour is a natural part of her moulting process as she attempts to finish this phase of her development.
The baby’s mom, Qila, often finds her little one swimming alongside her now. The baby is staying close and often mimicking or repeating some of Qila’s swimming patterns and characteristics.
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