SeaLife Center Rescues Beluga Calf

Male calf was stranded near cannery in Bristol Bay

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By KTVA CBS 11 News
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Story Created: Jun 20, 2012 at 10:55 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jun 20, 2012 at 11:16 AM AKDT

ALASKA - A male beluga calf who refused to return to the open ocean, near the Diamond O Cannery in Naknek, was flown to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward on Monday.

The calf was discovered after a large storm, according to a press release, with no other belugas observed nearby. There are five stocks of beluga whales in Alaska; this one was from the Bristol Bay stock. The SeaLife Center received authorization from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to perform a rescue, and the 5-foot long, 110-pound beluga calf was flown to the center.

It's the first beluga ever housed at the SeaLife Center, although the center is equipped with pools capable of holding the whales. It's swimming on its own, which a staff veterinarian says is a good sign, and being fed every two hours with a milk-based mixture designed for beluga calves.

Unlike the Cook Inlet beluga whale stock, the Bristol Bay stock is growing rather than endangered.

To see more photos of the baby beluga, click a thumbnail at left.

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Coral said on Wednesday, Jun 20 at 12:00 PM

The beluga calf rescued is very young as evidenced by its fetal folds (lines on its side). I hope the best for it but without milk from its mother to bolster its immune system, sadly the calf will be very suceptible to disease and its chance of survival is low.

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Anonymous said on Saturday, Jul 7 at 3:47 PM

you know who was in the area and got an idea...NOAA should be imposing fines for separating the mother... some things never change though...

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