Supporting Beluga Births

On September 18, 2023, a new life of a beluga was born.

Following the births in 2021, the new member's name is "Theo." He is a male born between "Nack" (male) and "Milly" (female), who gave birth for the first time this time, at Kamogawa Sea World.

"Since the birth occurs underwater, it is difficult for human intervention, and the visibility from above the pool is also poor due to bleeding. We anxiously watched over," says Ms. Suzuki and veterinarian Ms. Shibahara.

"This time, the birth went smoothly, but when Viz (female) was born last time, it was quite a difficult delivery. After her water broke, the fetus did not appear for a while, so we had to intervene during the delivery process, and thankfully, she was born safely. However, she experienced feeding difficulties from the 6th day after birth. We resorted to artificial feeding using powdered milk for animals, among other methods, while referring to cases of other cetaceans and international experiences," said Ms. Shibahara.

This experience also proved beneficial for Theo's upbringing. Thanks to the knowledge accumulated over nearly 50 years of caring for belugas, support from pregnancy to birth and childcare is possible, despite the challenges inherent in beluga husbandry.