Day in the Life of a Baby Beluga

Oct. 24, 2006 — -- The beluga whale born recently at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium is getting her own personality, but now she needs a name, and "Good Morning America" viewers are going to help choose one.

Roger Germann, one of Shedd's directors, answers some common questions about the baby beluga, also called a calf.

To find out more about the new baby beluga, visit the Shedd Aquarium Web site by clicking here.

How Does the Baby Beluga Act?

From the start, she has been a little independent and very curious. Independence in the wild would be a bad thing, but Puiji has been a lenient mom in the safe environment of Secluded Bay. When the calf was very young, however, if Puiji felt that her baby had strayed too far, she would give a short, sharp vocalization that trainers translated as "Get back over here!"

Another interesting aspect of the calf's personality is her determination in mastering new behaviors. A beluga calf learns by mimicking mom.

The calf has spent a solid day or more practicing such maneuvers as swimming upside down and spyhopping (positioning herself vertically in the water and popping her head above the surface).

These moves require coordination and buoyancy control, and it was amusing to watch her tip over in the water or not quite turn upside down. But she never got discouraged. She has real stick-to-it-iveness!

What Does She Like to Do?

The calf spends 50 percent of her time swimming with mom, 20 percent of her time on her own, and 30 percent of her time with Naya, another beluga.

She loves to mimic mom, so when Puiji swims upside down, her calf does too. The calf is also fascinated by the four other belugas that she can see through the gate separating her pool from theirs.