‘We’re expecting!’: Georgia Aquarium announces baby beluga

ATLANTA – The Georgia Aquarium has announced that one of its beluga whales is a mother-to-be.

A 20-year-old beluga named Whisper is expected to give birth to a calf in April, the aquarium’s vice-president of animal health confirmed in a statement Tuesday. The gender of the baby won’t be revealed until birth.

Whisper arrived in Georgia from Seaworld Orlando nearly a year ago, news outlets reported. The aquarium is home to four other belugas, which are native to Arctic waters. Qinu, another of the aquarium’s female belugas, was expecting her first calf in June 2017, however she experienced complications during labour and the baby died. Two other newborn belugas died at the aquarium between 2012 and 2015.

Still, the aquarium is “hopeful” Whisper will safely deliver a healthy baby in the spring and add to its growing community of belugas, the statement said. The aquarium’s veterinarians and animal care team is closely monitoring Whisper through her pregnancy, officials said.