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Image via Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez

Shedd Aquarium in Chicago just welcomed a baby beluga whale on 21 August 2020.

Staffers of the aquarium watched over the 14-year-old beluga named Bella as she went through 15 hours of labor.

When the calf finally emerged from Bella, the moment sparked absolute delight among the employees who carried out the birth.

“As the calf swam to the surface and took its first breath, it brought with it the palpable hope of new life and fresh beginnings — something we all appreciate,” Shedd Aquarium president and CEO Dr Bridget Coughlin said.



The calf weighed in at 139 pounds and measured at a length of around five feet and three inches at the time of its birth.

Meet the newborn beluga below.

View this post on Instagram

BIG NEWS: Beluga Bella has given birth to an energetic male calf! The 5'3", 139-pound baby beluga was born on 8/21 at 8:42 p.m. after 15 hours of labor. This was an atypical birth—where most calves are born flukes-first, this little one was born headfirst. 14-year-old Bella is a first-time mom and was also born here at Shedd! . Our scientific understanding of belugas is that first-time mothers experience a higher calf mortality rate. Watching Bella interact with the calf is just as valuable to our understanding as data we collect—animal care staff is hopeful from what they've seen so far. As is often the case in the days after birth, the calf is not nursing independently, and animal care staff is in the water every three hours to assist with feeding. . To ensure Bella and her calf have the time they need for bonding and nursing, guests may not be immediately able to see the belugas. But stay tuned on our social channels for updates, and more on the blog—link in our story.

A post shared by Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) on Aug 24, 2020 at 1:26pm PDT

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It's time to celebrate new life! Swipe to get a closer look at the newest Shedd resident.

A post shared by Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) on Aug 25, 2020 at 12:16pm PDT

[via The New York Post, cover image via Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez]

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