The Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut is home to over 300 species of marine mammals, fish, birds, invertebrates, and reptiles. The aquarium offers interactive and educational exhibits, including touch tanks, and is home to a range of animals such as beluga whales, Steller sea lions, northern fur seals, California sea lions, Pacific and Atlantic harbor seals, and two females, Kharabali, Havana, and Jetta. Narwhals are among the most elusive creatures in the ocean due to their long, spiralling tusks.
The aquarium also houses several other animals, including beluga whales, African penguins, California sea lions, northern fur seals, spotted seals, and harbor seals. The aquarium has agreed to settle a federal investigation over alleged animal care and water quality. Five beluga whales have been moving from Canada to New England, and the animals have completed their journey from Canada to New England.
The aquarium also features a variety of other animals, such as beluga whales, African penguins, California sea lions, northern fur seals, spotted seals, and harbor seals. The beluga is the narwhal’s closest relative and is closely related to narwhals. Beluga whales are closely related to narwhals, being the only two members of the Monodontidae family.
In August, another whale at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut died, this time a male beluga. The aquarium is excited to welcome visitors with its exotic and exciting exhibits, interactive and educational exhibits, and in-person encounters with animal ambassadors.
📹 BeluYoga at the Mystic Aquarium
As part of a new Wellness Wednesday program Meghan Smith, with Hot on Bank, leads a yoga class with beluga whales at the …
Is Mystic Aquarium ethical?
Mystic Aquarium has been designated as a Humane Certified™ institution, a distinction currently held by fewer than a dozen other organizations worldwide.
Are there alligators at Mystic Aquarium?
The speaker is described as having the courage to feed alligators, who are somewhat reticent in their new environment.
Is there a beluga whale at Mystic Aquarium?
Beluga whales, renowned for their distinctive white coloration, are relatively small in size, with a length of 11-15 feet, and have a lifespan of 35-50 years in the wild. The Mystic Aquarium currently houses five belugas in pools with 750, 000 gallons of water. According to wildlife advocacy groups, some belugas live for 80 years or more.
Are there any aquariums with narwhals?
Narwhals, toothed whales, are not commonly observed in aquariums due to the enigmatic and unfortunate history associated with them. Only two attempts to maintain their captivity have been documented, both of which resulted in adverse outcomes, leading to the general consensus that narwhals are not suitable for display in marine life centers. In contrast, the porpoise, a species related to the beluga and orca, is found in Arctic coastal waters and rivers.
Why are there no narwhals in aquariums?
Narwhals, a species of whale, are sensitive to human-made noise and temperature changes, making them difficult to keep in captivity. Their iconic “tusk” is filled with 10 million nerve endings, which help detect subtle changes in their environment. The documentary Blackfish exposed SeaWorld’s practices and the captive orcas, leading to a shift in public perception of marine mammals in captivity. The public’s appetite for captive whales has dried out, and it is unlikely that another attempt to put a narwhal in an aquarium will ever occur. The public’s perception of marine mammals in captivity has changed significantly in recent years.
Is there a polar bear at Mystic Aquarium?
The Mystic Aquarium is inaugurating a novel, technologically advanced exhibition, designated the Wild Arctic, which will afford visitors the opportunity to observe a diverse array of marine mammals, including walruses, polar bears, and humpback whales. This innovative addition promises to offer an immersive experience for visitors.
Why was the beluga whale euthanized?
The beluga whale, which had lost weight and exhibited respiratory distress, was humanely euthanized to prevent further suffering. Veterinarians concluded that the whale was unlikely to survive in the wild. This content is available exclusively to USA TODAY subscribers and includes weekly email newsletters.
What animals are in the Mystic Aquarium?
Mystic Aquarium is a marine sanctuary that houses a diverse array of marine life, including six beluga whales, four Steller sea lions, six northern fur seals, six California sea lions, and more. The aquarium also houses a large colony of 31 African penguins, unicorn fish, blue tang, octopus, Japanese spider crabs, sand tiger sharks, bamboo sharks, sea turtle, clownfish, an extensive sea jelly exhibit, seasonal birds, and other oceanic creatures. It is one of the first aquariums to attempt artificial insemination of beluga whales as part of its conservation work.
Visitors can participate in encounter programs, such as getting close to African penguins, touching beluga whales, and feeding and touching sting rays. However, the aquarium has faced criticism for importing five beluga whales from Marineland in Canada in May 2021, leading to the death of five-year-old Havok in August 2021. The US Department of Agriculture conducted a focused inspection of the aquarium, revealing three critical violations involving Havok’s veterinary care, handling, and facilities.
Where can I see a narwhal?
Narwhals are the northernmost living whales, found in the Arctic Ocean and Arctic Canada. They are typically found near the ice edge, often in cold, deep bays and straits as they follow breaking ice. They migrate as far north as possible in winter, but gather in larger numbers near the coast in spring and summer. Narwhals are relatively territorial and return to the same areas again and again in spring, depending on ice conditions. To help you find narwhals during your next whale trip, our shop offers TRAVEL NOTES in five colors, with important whale information and space for your own observations and memories.
What happened to the dolphins at Mystic Aquarium?
In an audio interview, the chief clinical veterinarian of the Mystics, Dr. Jen Flower, confirmed that the Sultan was in a severely compromised state and that the location was anomalous.
What happened to the beluga whales at Mystic Aquarium?
In August 2021, a 5-year-old male beluga whale named Havok died from an intestinal disease, while two female whales, Havana and Kharabali, died in 2022 and 2023 from storage disease. All three whales’ health problems were genetic and not curable. The Department of Agriculture cited two violations related to Havok’s care, claiming that aquarium staff failed to call for veterinarian care in his last hours of life. Havok, who had vision problems, was injured twice in June 2021, once by ramming himself into a gate and another by striking posts in the aquarium’s medical pool.
📹 Acclimating Beluga Whales Into Georgia Aquarium | The Aquarium
The staff at Georgia Aquarium are prepared to receive two new Beluga Whales, Whisper and Imaq. Will the transition into their …
I met Whisper at SeaWorld San Antonio when I was a child. It was part of a program where children could put on a wet suit and climb into the water to meet the whales; her sisters Olivia and Luna were also there. Though I am not at fan of keeping cetaceans in captivity now that I am an adult (I don’t wish to argue about this), I am happy to see that Whisper is still alive and healthy.
To everyone claiming that other people in the comments section are suddenly biologists, as a college student who studies aquarium management and husbandry, they’re all correct. This is exactly what you do when you receive a new organism, no matter how big or small. When you get a new organism, you don’t just toss them into the main tank, it can kill them for a vast number of reasons: pH shock, temperature shock, stress, or aggressive tank mates. Traveling with a marine organism in a small container with little to no movement is the biggest stress factor. You want to make sure they get comfortable and settled in first before you introduce them into the main tank. And even before THAT, you need to slowly acclimate the water so the parameters match up and the organism doesn’t go into shock because of the sudden shift. You leave them for a month or two in quarantine, and then finally release them into the main tank. Marine organisms are incredibly sensitive so immense care must be taken when handling them. Also, this isn’t abuse. The Georgia aquarium is meant for conservation and sciences, not entertainment. Now who’s the one who thinks they’re the experts? You all assume it’s bad without even visiting or looking into it.
You can sense that these people genuinely care for these animals. I think if they wanted to hurt this animal, they wouldn’t have gone through all these measures and there may be a specific reason why this ADULT beluga can’t be released into the wild. I’m pretty sure that most zoos want to see these animals in the wild rather than in enclosers anyway. So this beluga SHOULD be well taken care of.
I live near ATL and go to the aquarium all the time. I have several friends who work there. Guys, he literally said it’s a secondary pool. They are in this pool just to get used to the water temp and getting used to the new place. they are in a HUGE tank normally. This is north america’s LARGEST aquarium, chill they have it under control.
keep in mind these whales won’t survive in the wild along with being an endangerd species these whales were not raised in the wild and can’t hunt or survive in the wild, the tank they are using is big enough and safe enough for their comfort as well. I understand that you dont like that Animals are in captivity but relesing them can put them in more danger, if you want someone to yell at yell at actual cases of animal abuse, such as how sea world treats their orcas and try to make them improve the lives of the animals instead of relesing them when all they’ve ever known is domestic life.
I hope these belugas were not kidnapped in the wild in Russia. A lot of marine mammals have been taken from the wild there to sell to zoos and aquariums. Georgia Aquarium did try to purchase these belugas on the past but could not get them exported to the United States due to certain laws and the belugas were trapped in holding tanks for a very long time. I don’t know if any law has changed recently to permit import.
For everyone saying the belong in the wild, I agree with you, but THESE animals couldn’t survive in the wild. They don’t know how to properly take care of themselves. This is the best life they can hope for, and while they’re living that life they’re ambassadors for their species that could end up saving belugas in the future.
I always switch from being for and against animals in captivity because it is obviously saving their population and hopefully increasing different species but they were also living in the wild for a reason because its where they need to be. If we humans weren’t so horrible it would be easier. Having the animals bred in captivity is great but it also means that they will never be able to explore their natural habitats so it is a good thing but a bad thing because they aren’t doing what they are meant to do but I’m glad there are people like this that help with keeping animals safe and healthy
I have recently been considering working with animals in an aquarium. I started swimming when I was 3 and I’m a native of the greater Atlanta area so I was able to go to the Georgia Aquarium on the weekends occasionally. I would always ask my parents to take me and see the belugas, penguins, and otters. I’m now figuring out what I want to do for college and seeing this article just made me want to look into this more. Does anyone know what the specific position is called for the people in the wetsuits or the people that fed the belugas and what education requirements would be? Thanks!! ❤️❤️
“The voice of the natural world would be, ‘Could you please give us space and leave us alone to get along with our own lives and our own ways, because we actually know much better how to do it then when you start interfering.” -Jane Goodall “Zoos are the only prisons on earth whose inmates are all innocent.”
Oh… did the ones from Russia finally get transported? I watched a documentary yesterday on Netflix about the Russian and global transportation of these whales because in Russia there is basically no law restricting fisherman from trapping and selling them. Anyways… this Georgia aquarium put in an order for 18 whales from Russia and the US put a stop to that, but instead they wanted to fight it in court so these whales lived in 3 tiny tanks until they were moved into another shitty situation. To be honest, I’ll never visit a dolphanarium again… what they go thru and how they are just taken from the ocean and their families all for people to make a profit off of them.
My name is Gina as belugas são lindas, são extremamente amorosas,elas devem ser criadas em cativeiro por que são extremamente raras,lindas aqui no Brasil temos o boto cor de rosa só que ele é de água doce,belugas se se acostumassem em água doce,seria maravilhoso.ja pensou elas criadas nos rios dos estados unidos???as crianças iriam adorar no mar são machucadas e caçadas,se houvesse uma concientizacao de preservação,e fosse tirada qualquer coisa que as machucasse seria extremamente legal em vez de jacarés,ter belugas e botos em Orlando mas livres nos rios.
everyone is commenting about how bad this facility is. but from my understanding this a conservation & research facility that partnered with different universities in Georgia. so the whales are being treated with good care. they have to have vets. it’s the 3rd largest aquarium in the world if that makes you feel better about the space the animals have. also ik they’ve save animals that were in bad condition at previous facilities or that washed up on shore in bad conditions. if my info is wrong let me know.
Now everyone says that the police fire fighters nurses and doctors are the most important but the workers at the aquarium are also very important too they try to save every living sea animal out there they check there breathing and they transport the animals safely these people need awards for what they do
Welcome home to swim circles in a small concrete box for the rest of your life. I’ve counted how long it takes for the belugas, swimming at a slow pace, to swim the circumference of the GA Aquarium beluga tank – it’s sixty seconds. Imagine these super intelligent animals who can dive up to 1000 feet in the ocean spending their lives in such extreme confinement. If GA Aquarium cared about anything but selling tickets they could donate money to the Whale Sanctuary Project who is actually creating sea sanctuaries for whales born in captivity. GA Aquarium spent at least $10 million in it’s failed wild-caught beluga import attempt from a near depleted Russian beluga population. (Depleted by the aquarium industry.) GA Aquarium would like everyone to forget about that. Watch Born To Be Free for a true behind the scenes look at the GA Aquarium.
Poor animals. They belong in the ocean. This is why I won’t go to Sea World again. These beautiful creatures deserve better than a small tank. It’s jail for whales. 😔 No creature wants to be confined. Why do you think the Orcas dorsal fin curls and folds up while in captivity? Because they are not meant to be. I feel very sad for these poor innocent creatures. They want nothing but to swim in open ocean and eat fish and make babies. Leave them alone.
Someone can teel me why this beluga needs to be in this aquarium? Seems so sad take her off the ocean. But, First, I am not a professional or something like that, thats Just my First impression of this situation without judgments to the professionals that appear in this vídeo. At ALL, sorry for my english.
These are the animal rights violation. They are not exhibits. These peoples are surrounding him like crows are surrounding carcus. They are need to be free. In this pandemic situation,we are unable to stay in home at least 14 days. How these animals survive s life time prisoners. When we are in hungry we do all the things for getting foods. These animals are doing the same things for their foods.
All study tanks labs aquarium’s zoo’s anything that houses creatures outside their natural habitat should be done away with. Want to help them with an injury do it in their natural environment if not possible keep them comfortable until they are flushed down a huge toilet like a dead or ailing captive fish tank dweller. Creatures that supposedly cannot be released don’t allow them to mate and close these prisons for creatures.
Isso foi simplesmente pessimo. Esse nao e o habitate natural desse animal. Os homens e mulheres tiveram toda uma operação de ponta, tudo muito bem equipado “incrivel” mais nao equiparam a cabeça em analizar que esse animal não vai fica saudável vivendo dentro de um tanque . Nossa que ridículo isso que todoa vocês fiseram. Jamais eu iria compactuar co isso. Espero qie todo voces tenham pessimas noites, e deliciosos pesadelos.
To all the smart asses who are mocking self anointed “biologists”, you aren’t either. you’re taking an 8:00 article where people “seem” to be nice to these animals and assume that they’re happy. how do you know? do you know what happens behind closed doors? it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that these animals do not belong in a pool how ever big it is. say what you will about education, but there are other more humane ways to educate the public about these wonderful creatures. you don’t need to be a biologist to be compassionate or see that this is wrong.
I fucking hate seeing shit like that. ist like putting a Human beeing in a bath tub for the rest of their life. those animals Need to be at the Ocean where they belong to. Same goes to the orcas. exactly thats was orcas Killer Trainers u Never Seen this in the wild. all this chemicals in the water to hold it clean…. Dang
Why do we even have animals in captivity? why do we even want to watch animals in captivity for our own pleasure? We live in such a large information society today that we should know better than to keep wild animals trapped in cages. Let the animals live and be at peace in the environment and nature created for them! Let them live in freedom!