ORLANDO, Fla. (WESH) — A 17-year-old beluga whale named Whisper gave birth to a calf earlier this week. The newborn calf died a short time later.
“The animal care and veterinary teams reacted quickly and were able to reach the calf and begin emergency care. Despite their best efforts and expertise, we are saddened to confirm that the calf did not survive,” SeaWorld said in a news release.
SeaWorld says there were no signs of complications during labor but the calf appeared unusually weak after birth.
The cause of calf’s death is unknown. SeaWorld plans to conduct a full post-mortem exam. It could be weeks before those results are finalized.
“Whisper is active and alert and the teams will continue to monitor her 24/7 until they are sure she is in good health and has returned to her normal daily activities,” SeaWorld said in the release.STORIES OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON:
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