Kayavak
Encyclopedia
Kayavak is a female beluga whale that currently resides at the Shedd Aquarium
in downtown Chicago
, Illinois
, USA. She is the only daughter of the mother beluga named Immiayuk. The father whale, Inuk, was moved to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, to breed with other whales.
name. "Kayavak" means "singing game producing soft echoes".
, a rare bacterial infection found in the fish that the whales eat. Many feared that Kayavak would also soon die without the nurturing of her mother. The aquarium decided that Kayavak might be rejected if introduced to another adult female, Puiji, for nurturing purposes, and it was feared that even the best substitute formula would not give her enough nutrients. (The first such substitute was used for the first time in July 2010 when a beluga calf at SeaWorld
San Antonio
was rejected by her mother).
Kayavak needed around-the-clock monitoring and constant attention. Trainers hand-fed her with fish every three hours, although the beluga is not usually weaned for a year.
In 2000, Mauyak gave birth to her first calf, a male named Qannik, who befriended Kayavak. The two young whales shared the same father, and they were separated in June 2007, with Qannik being sent to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, where he died in 2009. Kayavak started spending more time with Naluark, an adult male to whom the aquarium had been reluctant to introduce Kayavak.
As Kayavak matured sexually, she became subject to abuse by older whales, including Naluark and Mauyak.
As of August 2011, Kayavak is a healthy 12-year-old whale and lives with another seven of her species at the aquarium. She is ranked lowest in the natural hierarchical system of that whale community. She can be identified by a distinct white birthmark that somewhat resembles that of a human palm. Kayavak usually is the star of the Beluga Encounter Program that allows people to interact with the Shedd's beluga whales.
She has earned the nickname "the sassy one" by her trainers. It is hoped that she and Naluark could have a calf together in the future.
Shedd Aquarium
The John G. Shedd Aquarium is an indoor public aquarium in Chicago, Illinois in the United States that opened on May 30, 1930. The aquarium contains over 25,000 fish, and was for some time the largest indoor aquarium in the world with of water. The Shedd Aquarium was the first inland aquarium with...
in downtown Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, USA. She is the only daughter of the mother beluga named Immiayuk. The father whale, Inuk, was moved to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, to breed with other whales.
Early life
Kayavak was born on 3 August, 1999 to a beluga named Immiayuk at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and was described by Shedd as "a happy, healthy and curious calf". As part of a Shedd tradition, she was given an InuitInuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
name. "Kayavak" means "singing game producing soft echoes".
Death of her mother
Immiayuk died suddenly on December 26, 1999. The cause of death was erysipelasErysipelas
Erysipelas is an acute streptococcus bacterial infection of the deep epidermis with lymphatic spread.-Risk factors:...
, a rare bacterial infection found in the fish that the whales eat. Many feared that Kayavak would also soon die without the nurturing of her mother. The aquarium decided that Kayavak might be rejected if introduced to another adult female, Puiji, for nurturing purposes, and it was feared that even the best substitute formula would not give her enough nutrients. (The first such substitute was used for the first time in July 2010 when a beluga calf at SeaWorld
SeaWorld
SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,...
San Antonio
SeaWorld San Antonio
SeaWorld San Antonio is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and animal theme park, located in the Westover Hills area of San Antonio, Texas. It is the largest of the three parks in the SeaWorld chain owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group, and the world's...
was rejected by her mother).
Kayavak needed around-the-clock monitoring and constant attention. Trainers hand-fed her with fish every three hours, although the beluga is not usually weaned for a year.
Second year and transition into adulthood
During her first year Kayavak had only been in contact with two other beluga whales, being her mother and Puiji. The aquarium then decided that she was ready for contact with the other resident whales: Naya, Mauyak, and adult male Naluark. Mauyak was pregnant and was extremely aggressive towards Kayavak, while the other two also displayed antipathy.In 2000, Mauyak gave birth to her first calf, a male named Qannik, who befriended Kayavak. The two young whales shared the same father, and they were separated in June 2007, with Qannik being sent to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, where he died in 2009. Kayavak started spending more time with Naluark, an adult male to whom the aquarium had been reluctant to introduce Kayavak.
As Kayavak matured sexually, she became subject to abuse by older whales, including Naluark and Mauyak.
As of August 2011, Kayavak is a healthy 12-year-old whale and lives with another seven of her species at the aquarium. She is ranked lowest in the natural hierarchical system of that whale community. She can be identified by a distinct white birthmark that somewhat resembles that of a human palm. Kayavak usually is the star of the Beluga Encounter Program that allows people to interact with the Shedd's beluga whales.
She has earned the nickname "the sassy one" by her trainers. It is hoped that she and Naluark could have a calf together in the future.
External links
- Shedd Aquarium - website of Kayavak's home aquarium