SAN ANTONIO - There's a new addition at SeaWorld San Antonio!
A beluga whale calf was born Sunday around 12:30 p.m. at the San Antonio Park weighing in at 125 pounds.
Chris Bellows, SeaWorld San Antonio’s vice president of zoological operations, said the new calf has already been observed bonding with the mother and is expected to begin nursing soon. He said the baby and mom Crissy are doing just fine.
“Today’s birth is valuable for not just SeaWorld, but also for researchers and accredited zoological facilities committed to caring for and protecting beluga whales,” Bellows said.
It will be a little while before animal care staff can get close enough to determine the calf's gender.
Beluga Stadium at SeaWorld will be closed until further notice to give the baby beluga and its mom some time to bond. SeaWorld intends to hold “visiting hours” beginning later this afternoon, Sunday, Sept. 17 for guests to greet the newest addition.
For more information on beluga whales, you can visit SeaWorld’s website.