‘Devastating grief’: Beluga whale loses calf in birth at Georgia Aquarium

ATLANTA — The Georgia Aquarium is mourning the death of a calf that did not survive birth.

The aquarium posted on Facebook Friday that Qinu, a beluga whale, was having issues with natural progress in her labor and needed manual assistance to deliver her calf.

“Even with extraordinary life-saving measures by the animal health and care teams, the calf did not survive,” the aquarium said.

Animal technicians are continuing to monitor Qinu’s recovery but said they are devastated by the loss.

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“There are no words for the devastating grief we feel,” the aquarium said. “The care they give these animals isn’t just a job – it’s everything to them and to us.”

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In June, Alice, the beloved whale shark died.

Aquarium officials said they have recently noticed that Alice’s behavior and bloodwork has been changing recently.

Alice came to the aquarium in 2006, less than a year after the Georgia Aquarium opened in 2005, from Taiwan, where spokespeople say she was “destined for the seafood market.”

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