More images in our photo gallery
Qila and Baby, June 11, 2008
Qila delivering her calf, June 10, 2008
Newborn baby, 4:28pm, June 10, 2008
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It's a Girl!
Qila gave birth to her first calf, Tiqa, at 4:28 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, 2008.
Visit the Qila and Calf Update page for the most up-to-date information on their progress.
Watch a video of the birth on our YouTube Channel.
This female beluga calf is the first calf in Canada to be born to an aquarium-born beluga. Qila, the first-time mom, was born at the Aquarium on July 23, 1995.
Every day of her calf’s new life contributes to our limited knowledge of beluga birth and calf development. The calf is being watched carefully so we can record her developmental milestones and ensure that she's healthy.
This calf is also helping Aquarium researchers learn more about how these very vocal whales learn to “talk” to each other. Listen to some of the first calls exchanged between Qila and her calf. The researchers recorded them at day three.
Where are the other belugas?
In preparation for the birth, two of the belugas (Imaq and Kavna) were moved to the Aquarium’s research area behind the scenes. The move gives Qila the space she needs to bond with and nurse her calf.
Aurora, Qila’s mom, remains in the habitat as support for Qila.
Imaq and Kavna will return to join grandma Aurora, Qila and her calf once the staff are certain that mom and calf are ready to widen their social circle. Imaq is the father of Qila’s calf.
For further information
Learn about Tiqa's name on our naming contest page.
Visit the Qila and Calf Update page for the most up-to-date information on how the calf is progressing.
You can view Qila and the new calf live on our beluga web cam.
Watch a video of Qila's ultrasound on our YouTube channel.
If you have visited the Aquarium recently to see the new baby and have some photos, we'd love to see them! Add them to our Flickr Pool and/or tag them "babybeluga2008".
Please remember that you must turn off your flash before photographing mom and calf in the underwater viewing area. Thank you!
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Make an origami beluga!
Joseph Wu is an acclaimed origami artist. He is internationally renowned, committed to taking origami to new levels of excellence as an art form. He is a celebrity in the world of origami, with one of the Internet's most-visited origami sites at www.origami.as. We are very fortunate that he and his family are Aquarium members. To celebrate the birth of our baby beluga, Joseph has created a magical and moving origami of a beluga mother and calf. We are honoured that he has given this as a gift to the Vancouver Aquarium, to share with everyone who loves belugas. To make your own beluga and calf, please download Joseph's instructions: Origami beluga. Thank you Joseph!
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