Kayavak facts for kids
| Species | Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Born | August 3, 1999 Shedd Aquarium, Illinois |
| Known for | Being hand-raised after the death of her mother |
| Weight | 1,400 lb (640 kg) |
Kayavak (born August 3, 1999) is a female beluga whale. She lives at the Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago. Kayavak is the only daughter of a beluga named Immiayuk.
Kayavak's Early Life
Kayavak was born on August 3, 1999. Her birthplace was the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. She was the third beluga calf born there. Kayavak was the first calf to survive at the aquarium. Following a Shedd tradition, she received an Inuit name. "Kayavak" means "singing game producing soft echoes."
A Young Beluga's Care
Kayavak's mother, Immiayuk, passed away suddenly on December 26, 1999. The cause was a rare bacterial infection. Aquarium staff worried Kayavak might not survive without her mother. They looked at several ways to help her.
Using an artificial milk formula was not possible then. No such formula existed for belugas. (The first one was used much later, in 2010). Staff also decided not to place Kayavak with another adult female beluga, Puiji. Puiji had lost her own calf earlier. There was doubt she could bond with Kayavak or produce milk again. So, the best choice was to teach Kayavak to eat fish.
Kayavak needed care all day and night. Trainers fed her fish by hand every three hours. This was unusual because belugas usually nurse for a year.
Growing Up with Other Belugas
As Kayavak grew, the aquarium decided to introduce her to other belugas. Before her mother's passing, she lived with adult females Naya and Mauyak. But she had been alone since Immiayuk died.
About a year after her mother's passing, Kayavak met Puiji and Naya. She spent a few hours with one of them at a time. Sometimes, they would act aggressively towards her. Later, she met Mauyak and her calf, Qannik. Qannik was born a year after Kayavak. Kayavak and Qannik became friends. However, Qannik's mother was very protective. She would often chase Kayavak away.
When Kayavak was three years old, she joined the whole beluga group at Shedd. At first, the other belugas were aggressive. Kayavak was the lowest in the group's social order. But she eventually settled in. She became especially close with Qannik. The two were separated in 2007. Qannik moved to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.
Today, Kayavak lives at the Shedd Aquarium. She shares her home with seven other belugas.
See also
- List of individual cetaceans
