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Other American Aquariums
Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Beethoven
Age: 29
Sex: Male
Captive born: August 8th, 1992
Mother: Bandit
Father: Shadow
Type: 100% Hudson Bay, Canada
Calves: Maris' 2012 calf, Maris' 2015 calf
Full siblings:
Maternal siblings: Hudnall
Paternal siblings: SWT-DL-9377, SWT-DL-9576, Olivia
Measurements: 1,800 lbs., 14ft.
Transfers
SeaWorld San Antonio, USA: August 8th, 1992
SeaWorld San Diego, USA: April 20th, 1997
Point Defiance Zoo, Washington, USA: November 21st, 1997
SeaWorld San Antonio, USA: June 1st, 2009
Georgia Aquarium, USA: February 22nd, 2010
Shedd Aquarium, USA: October 19th, 2014
About Beethoven
Beethoven is the only surviving calf of Shadow and Bandit. He was close with Maris, a female close in age to him, and they had two calves together, both of whom did not survive. Today, he lives at the Shedd, under Mauyak as matriarch.
Naya
Age: 29
Sex: Female
Captured: August 17th, 1992
Type: Husdon Bay, Canada
Calves: 2002 calf, 2009 calf, Twin 1 2020, Twin 2 2020
Measurements: 1,600 lbs, 12ft 3 in.
Transfers
Hudson Bay, Canada: August 17th, 1992
Shedd Aquarium, USA: August 18th, 1992
Point Defiance Zoo, Washington, USA: March 16th, 1997
Shedd Aquarium, USA: January 10th, 1999
Mystic Aquarium, USA: September 3rd, 2008
Shedd Aquarium, USA: April 24th, 2009
About Naya
Naya was one of the last belugas captured in Hudson Bay, Manitoba. She went to the Shedd, and then the Point Defiance, then to the Shedd, and then the Mystic, where she had her first calf in 2002, sired by Naluark, who died not long after birth. She moved to the Shedd, where she lives currently, and gave birth to another one of Naluark's calves, which also died. In 2020, Naya became pregnant again. She gave birth to twins, the second time a cetacean had given birth to twins, (Crissy did in 2009). The first twin was stillborn, and the other survived for two weeks before dying by her side.
Kayavak
Age: 22
Sex: Female
Captive born: August 3rd, 1999
Mother: Immiayuk
Father: Inuk
Type: 100% Hudson Bay?
Measurements: 1,400 lbs., 11ft 10in.
Transfers
Shedd Aquarium, USA: August 3rd, 1999
Mystic Aquarium, USA: August 29th, 2008
Shedd Aquarium, USA: May 1st, 2009
About Kayavak
Kayavak was one of the first belugas born at the Shedd Aquarium. Her mother, Immiayuk, died suddenly of a bacterial infection when Kayavak was five months old. Kayavak's life was in danger without her, and she had to learn to eat whole fish in order to survive. The pod of whales at the Shedd was hesitant to accept Kayavak into their group, and it was Puiji and later her son Nunavik who really adopted her into their social group.
Aurek
Age: 18
Sex: Male
Captive born: June 27th, 2003
Mother: Gemini
Father: Unknown
Type: 50%+ Russian
Calves: Annik
Maternal siblings: Burnaby, Sasha, Gia, Unknown 2013-2015 calf, Unknown 2015-2016 calf, Gemini's 2018 calf
Measurements: 2,100 lbs., 14ft.
Transfers
MarineLand Canada: June 27th, 2003
SeaWorld Orlando, USA: November 19th, 2006
Georgia Aquarium, USA: February 7th, 2016
Shedd Aquarium, USA: September 2017
About Aurek
Aurek is Gemini's first calf, and her only verifiably surviving one. He moved around, to Orlando and Georgia, before the Shedd. In 2019, Mauyak had his first calf, Annik.
Bella I
Age: 15
Sex: Female
Captive born: July 17th, 2006
Mother: Puiji
Father: Naluark
Type: 100% Hudson Bay?
Calves: Atlas
Full siblings: Nunavik, Puiji's 1999 calf
Paternal siblings: Naya's 2002 calf, Mauyak's 2005 calf, Miki, Naya's 2009 calf, Kimalu, Shila
Measurements: 1,200 lbs., 10ft 6in.
Transfers
Shedd Aquarium, USA: July 17th, 2006
Mystic Aquarium, USA: August 29th, 2008
Shedd Aquarium, USA: April 24th, 2009
About Bella I
Bella was born at the Shedd Aquarium, three years before her younger brother Nunavik. She and the other Shedd belugas lived at the Mystic while the Shedd underwent construction in 2008. In 2019, at the age of 13, Bella gave birth to Atlas, whose father isn't yet known. If he was conceived naturally, his father is probably Aurek or Beethoven, if artificially, it could be Naluark or any other male beluga.
Kimalu
Age: 9
Sex: Female
Captive born: August 27th, 2012
Mother: Mauyak
Father: Naluark
Type: 100% Hudson Bay, Canada
Full siblings: Miki, Mauyak's 2005 calf
Maternal siblings: Annik, Mauyak's 1998 calf
Paternal siblings: Puiji's 1999 calf, Naya's 2002 calf, Mauyak's 2005 calf, Naya's 2009 calf, Bella I, Nunavik, Shila
Measurements: 10ft 2in
Transfers
None
About Kimalu
Kimalu is the older living calf of Mauyak. She was born in 2012, after the Shedd belugas returned to the Shedd from the Mystic in 2008. She is white now, no longer a calfy gray.
Kimalu's mother, Mauyak, died in 2022.
Annik
Age: 2
Sex: Male
Captive born: July 3rd, 2019
Mother: Mauyak
Father: Aurek
Type: 50% Hudson Bay, 25%+ Russian
Maternal siblings: Mauyak's 1998 calf, Mauyak's 2005 calf, Miki, Kimalu
Measurements: 300 lbs., 6ft.
Transfers
None
About Annik
Annik was born at the Shedd Aquarium in 2019 to Mauyak and Aurek. He is one of the only hybrid belugas in the world. His mother is Hudson Bay, Canadian, and his paternal grandmother, Gemini, is Russian. Annik is young, and still gray. Annik's mother, Mauyak, died in 2022. I worry for Annik, as 2 years old is very young for a beluga to be without their mother.
Atlas
Age: 1
Sex: Male
Captive born: August 21st, 2020
Mother: Bella I
Father: Unknown
Type: 50%+ Hudson Bay, Canada
Transfers
None
About Atlas
Atlas is the youngest beluga at the Shedd Aquarium today. He was born to Bella I, 13 at the time, who had a difficult time bonding with him in his first months. He was partially raised by staff, and at four months old he was placed back with her. Bella improved her calf rearing skills, but still struggles, and doesn't spend all her time with him.
Belugas who died at the Shedd Aquarium
These are the belugas who died at the Shedd Aquarium, names and dates of death.
Immiayuk: December 26th, 1999
Puiji: October 26th, 2011
#4 Shedd Beluga: September 22nd, 1992
#6 Shedd Beluga: September 22nd, 1992
Mauyak's calf 1998: June 23rd, 1998
Puiji's calf 1999: August 24th, 1999
Naya's calf 2002: September 20th, 2002
Mauyak's calf 2005: July 10th, 2005
Naya's calf 2009: December 22nd, 2009
Naya's Twin 1 2020: September 15th, 2020
Naya's Twin 2 2020: August 30th 2020
Mauyak: November 14th, 2022
Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Georgia, USA
Imaq
Age: 32
Sex: Male
Captured: August 12th, 1990
Type: Hudson Bay, Canada
Calves: Samson, Martha's 2015 calf, Stella, Kenai, Innik
Transfers
Hudson Bay, Canada: August 12th, 1990
Vancouver Aquarium, Canada: August 15th, 1990
SeaWorld San Antonio, USA: April 11th, 2011
Georgia Aquarium, USA: February 9th, 2019
About Imaq
Imaq is a wild-captured Canadian beluga. In San Antonio, he successfully fathered Samson, Kenai, and Innik, as well as two non surviving calves, Martha's 2015, and Stella. He was transported to Georgia in 2019, I assume for breeding purposes.
Recently, in Georgia, Imaq was seen socializing well with Shila, a one year old female calf. It's unusual for males and calves to get along, but the two swam together and played with a toy. It's significant to me that Whisper, Shila's mom, would be comfortable with this. It makes me think that Imaq is gentler and more sociable than other captive adult male belugas.
Whisper
Age: 23
Sex: Female
Captive born: July 25th, 1999
Mother: Crissy
Father: Luke
Type: 100% Hudson Bay, Canada
Calves: 2000 calf, 2006 calf, 2008 calf, Shila
Maternal siblings: Crissy's 2006 calf, Crissy's Twin 2, Bella II, Stella, Innik
Paternal siblings: Spooky's 1999 calf, Hudnall, Luna, Martha's 2000 calf
Transfers
SeaWorld San Antonio, USA: July 25th, 1999
SeaWorld Orlando, USA: November 21st, 2010
Georgia Aquarium, USA: February 9th, 2019
About Whisper
Whisper was born at SeaWorld San Antonio, where she had two unsuccessful calves in 2000, 2006, and 2008, and moved to SeaWorld Orlando when she was eleven years old. These losses of calves affected Whisper pretty harshly, so there were concerns when she became pregnant again in 2019/2020. She gave birth to Shila at the Georgia Aquarium in 2020, and she became the first calf born in Georgia to survive. Whisper and Shila spend almost all of their time together.
Maple
Age: 17
Sex: Female
Captive born: July 2nd, 2005
Mother: Priscilla
Father: Unknown
Type: 50%+ Russian
Maternal siblings: Priscilla's 2003 calf
Transfers
MarineLand Canada: July 2nd, 2005
SeaWorld Orlando, USA: November 19th, 2006
Georgia Aquarium, USA: February 17th, 2016
About Maple
Maple is the only surviving calf of Priscilla, and was born at MarineLand Canada, and lived at SWO before moving the Georgia Aquarium.
Qinu
Age: 14
Sex: Female
Captive born: July 31st, 2008
Mother: Sikku
Father: Nanuq
Type: 100% Hudson Bay, Canada
Calves: 2017 calf, 2021 calf
Paternal siblings: Oliver, Grayson, Bella II, Crissy's Twin 2, Whisper's 2000 calf, Whisper's 2006 calf, Whisper's 2008 calf, Pearl, Atla, Unknown SWSD beluga 2, Ruby's 2012 calf
Transfers
SeaWorld San Antonio, USA: July 31st, 2008
Georgia Aquarium, USA: November 21st, 2010
About Qinu
Qinu was born to Sikku at SWSA before moving to the Georgia Aquarium when she was two years old, after Sikku died. In 2017, when she was just eleven years old, she had a stillborn calf that got stuck in her birth canal, and it had to be winched out by staff. In 2021, the same thing happened again. It's not known how these events have effected Qinu or whether the Georgia Aquarium plans to breed her again.
Shila
Age: 2
Sex: Female
Captive born: May 17th, 2020
Mother: Whisper
Father: Naluark
Type: 100% Hudson Bay
Full siblings:
Maternal siblings: 2000 calf, 2006 calf, 2008 calf
Paternal siblings: Miki, Nunavik, Bella I, Kimalu, Puiji's 1999 calf, Naya's 2009 calf, Naya's 2002 calf, Mauyak's 2005 calf
Transfers
None
About Shila
Shila is the first calf to be born at the Georgia Aquarium and survive. She was conceived via artificial insemination, with her father Naluark living in San Antonio at the time of her conception. Shila's mother, Whisper, is bonded with her, and they spend most of their time together.
Belugas who died at the Georgia Aquarium
These are belugas who died at the Georgia Aquarium, name and date of death.
Marina: December 1st, 2007
Maris: October 15th, 2015
Gasper: January 2nd, 2007
Maris' calf 2012: May 23rd, 2012
Maris' calf 2015: June 5th, 2015
Qinu's calf 2017: November 8th, 2017
Qinu's calf 2021: July 23rd, 2021
Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, Connecticut, USA
Natasha
Age: 38
Sex: Female
Captured: July 16th, 1984
Type: Hudson Bay, Canada
Calves: Maris
Measurements: 1,080 lbs., 11ft.
Transfers
Hudson Bay, Canada: July 16th, 1984
New York Aquarium, USA: July 22nd, 1984
Mystic Aquarium, USA: December 18th, 2002
New York Aquarium, USA: May 26th, 2004
Georgia Aquarium, USA: November 6th, 2006
SeaWorld San Antonio, USA: October 5th, 2009
Mystic Aquarium, USA: February 10th, 2019
About Natasha
Natasha is one of the oldest female belugas in captivity today. She has been transferred across the United States and Canada six times. She has had one calf, Maris, who was born at the New York Aquarium in 1994. It's unknown why Natasha didn't have calves after Maris, but she was a good mom nonetheless. Maris and Natasha moved around together until Maris was moved to the Georgia Aquarium in 2010, where she had two unsuccessful calves by Beethoven, one in 2012 and another in 2015 before dying later in 2015.
Kelalukak
Age: 37
Sex: Female
Captured: July 31st, 1985
Type: Hudson Bay, Canada
Measurements: 1,360 lbs., 11ft.
Transfers
Hudson Bay, Canada: July 31st, 1985
Mystic Aquarium, USA: August 14th, 1985
About Kelalukak
Kelalukak was captured in Canada, and stayed in holding in Manitoba for two weeks before moving to Connecticut, where she has lived since. Kelalukak was the first beluga ever to undergo artificial insemination. She has never had a calf, and has been spotted with skin infections several times, but they seem non-serious. Recently, the Aquarium has decided to call her 'Kela" instead of her full name, Kelalukak, which means 'leader' in Inuit.
Juno
Age: 20
Sex: Male
Captive born: July 6th, 2002
Mother: Denise
Father: Unknown
Type: 50%+ Russian
Maternal siblings: Hope
Measurements: 2,560 lbs., 14ft.
Transfers
MarineLand Canada: July 6th, 2002
SeaWorld Orlando, USA: November 19th, 2006
Mystic Aquarium, USA: January 25th, 2010
About Juno
Juno was born at MarineLand Canada. He was separated from his mother, Denise, when he was four years old, and sent to Orlando. He moved to the Mystic in 2010, and has lived alongside Kelalukak and Natasha since. Juno is known for his appreciation of music and generally charming interactions with guests. He sometimes jaw pops at the guests, a well known sign of stress and aggression. Juno is the largest beluga at the aquarium. Other, younger belugas live at the Aquarium, but the first three are isolated from the other three, due to concerns over contagious disease.
Jetta
Age: 8
Sex: Female
Captive born: July 17th, 2014
Mother: Skyla
Father: Unknown
Type: 50%+ Russian
Maternal siblings: Skyla's 2009 calf, Skoot, Skyla's 2018 calf
Transfers
MarineLand Canada: July 17th, 2014
Mystic Aquarium, USA: May 14th, 2021
About Jetta
Jetta was born at MarineLand Canada to Skyla in 2014. She was transferred to the Mystic in 2021, for what the Mystic called "research to help wild belugas". I have some gripes with that (see above). Jetta and the other four MarineLand belugas were briefly introduced to Natasha, Kelalukak, and Juno, but haven't been with them since. In August of 2021, her tankmate Havok died. She's the same age as her tankmates, Kharabali, Sahara, and Havana.
In late August 2021, the Mystic described Jetta's condition as 'extremely poor and failing'. Her white blood cell count is low and she has become underweight. It's possible she is suffering from gastric ulcers, like Havok was before he died. However, in September 2021, her health has taken a turn for the better. She is gaining weight and is less lethargic, though it is too early to make assumptions.
Kharabali
Age: 8
Sex: Female
Captive born: July 20th, 2014
Mother: Aurora II
Father: Kodiak
Type: 100% Russian
Maternal siblings: Aurora II's 2018 calf
Transfers
MarineLand Canada: July 20th, 2014
Mystic Aquarium, USA: May 14th, 2021
About Kharabali
Kharabali was born to Aurora II and Kodiak at MarineLand Canada in 2014, and is the same age as her current tankmates, Jetta, Sahara and Havana.
Sahara
Age: 8
Sex: Female
Captive born: July 23rd, 2014
Mother: Acadia
Father: Unknown
Maternal siblings: Tank
Transfers
MarineLand Canada: July 23rd, 2014
Mystic Aquarium, USA: May 14th, 2021
About Sahara
Sahara was born at MarineLand Canada and transferred to Mystic in 2014. She has an older brother, Tank, who she lived with for almost seven years before she moved to the Mystic.
Havana
Age: 8
Sex: Female
Captive born: July 13th, 2014
Mother: Kelowna
Father: Andre
Full siblings: Charlotte (possibly only half sister)
Maternal siblings: Kelowna's 2018 calf
Paternal siblings: Skoot
Transfers
MarineLand Canada: July 13th, 2014
Mystic Aquarium, USA: May 14th, 2021
About Havana
Havana was born at MarineLand Canada to Kelowna and Andre. She's the same age as three of her tankmates from her home park.
Belugas who have died at the Mystic Aquarium
These are the belugas who died at the Mystic Aquarium, organized by name and date of birth.
Alex: June 1st, 1984
Unknown Mystic Beluga: July 28th, 1975
Okanitoo: July 24th, 1975
Inuk: February 20th, 1984
Nanuk: November 22nd, 1984
Winston: October 11th, 1998
Aurora I: September 6th, 1984
Miki: August 5th, 2016
Havok: August 6th, 2021