On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Deia, a beluga whale born at the Primorsky Aquarium, celebrated her first birthday.
Deia is Jessica’s second calf and the second white whale delivered in an aquarium setting in Russia. The baby beluga was born early in the morning, and Dolphinarium staff was fully prepared for the event. The trainers vividly recalled the long-awaited arrival of the newborn.
“We were present at delivery, saw her passing through the birth canal. Before our eyes she started swimming for the first time, and her mother Jessica assisted her,” said trainer Elena Shcherbakova. “I was very excited as it was the first time I witnessed a white whale calf being born. In my view, Deia’s personality is different from her elder sister’s, she is more independent and has a mind of her own. Additionally, she always tries to take a cue from her elder sister, imitates her in everything and spends more time with Kalina than with their mother”.
According to Anton Brykov, Head of the Marine Mammal Division, this is hardly surprising, as the second and subsequent calves usually tend to be more agile, joyful, playful and sociable than the first-borns. The baby whales copy the behaviors of their elder siblings and are ahead of them when it comes to some skills.
Marine mammal trainer Elizaveta Chizhova has been watching Deia grow up since her very birth. As soon as the baby beluga gets her first teeth, she will begin eating larger portions of fish and participating in training sessions. The trainer is sure that Deia has the potential to be a fantastic performer as her talents are already shining through.
“Deia loves playing with a ball, and she is great at grabbing it with her mouth and diving after it,” said Elizaveta. “Her other favorite toys include a hoop and a fitball. Every time she hears the soundtrack of the marine mammal presentation, she tries to move to the music, lifting her tail and spinning around. Deia has also learned to make all sorts of sounds, including high-pitched ones, which are unlike the ‘singing’ of her sister. I think that in about three months she will be ready for more intense training.”
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Deia and her mother will be kept in a separate pool until she is weaned at around two years of age. The baby has a hearty appetite and eats some 1.5 kg of fish a day. With her hunger satisfied, Deia resumes playing with her sister and the trainers. There is another pastime that the baby white whale adores.
“It makes her day when Aquarium divers clean her habitat,” said Elizaveta. “She stays glued to their side, grabbing their flippers, playing with the hose, and watching with fascination as they vacuum the bottom.”
Of course, this staff favorite was given a birthday present, a delicious ‘cake’ made of fish, and Dolphinarium trainers expressed their warmest birthday wishes to her.
“My heart’s deepest desire is to see her thrive in happiness,”, added Elizaveta Chizhova. “And we are committed to making that a reality.”
It’s worth highlighting that the birth of a baby beluga in an aquarium setting is quite rare. All successful breeding records for this species only came from foreign institutions prior to 2021, when the Primorsky Aquarium became the first public aquarium in Russia to welcome a beluga calf. Aquarium biologists believe the successful breeding is due to the favorable conditions that they provide to these marine mammals and that mimic those of their natural habitat.
“Social relationships are crucial for the well-being of captive marine mammals,” emphasized Anton Brykov. “They should be kept in a group of several males and females, which facilitates competition between the animals. The proper feeding, right water conditions and high air quality are also significant to their welfare. Beyond that, the daily interaction with trainers that builds up trust and enriches their environment makes them feel comfortable.”