February 14, 2008

VALENTINE’S DAY ANNOUNCEMENT: BELUGA PREGNANCY AT AQUARIUM

Vancouver, BC: The Vancouver Aquarium is pleased to announce that Qila, the Aquarium's youngest beluga whale, is pregnant. The gestation period for beluga whales is 14 – 16 months. Qila’s calf is due this summer, in July or August.

Staff at the Aquarium are very excited about 12-year-old Qila’s pregnancy. She was born at the Vancouver Aquarium to mom Aurora (and father Nanuq, currently on a breeding loan to SeaWorld) on July 23, 1995. Her entry into the world marked the first time that a beluga whale was conceived and born in a Canadian aquarium. A photo of that momentous occasion ran in the December 1995 issue of Life magazine.

Qila shares the Arctic Canada habitat with male beluga Imaq, 19, and two females: her mother, Aurora, 19, and Kavna, now around 38. Aquarium animal care staff and the veterinary team closely monitor the health and well-being of Qila and her companions. Qila is particularly tactile, curious, and a favourite at the Aquarium. Aquarium members and visitors have celebrated several birthdays with her, enjoying cake on her birthday.

Qila with a young visitor in the underwater beluga viewing gallery

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For further information, please contact:

Brenda Jones

Manager, Public Relations

publicrelations@vanaqua.org