Connecticut aquarium to auction off opportunity to name newly arrived Beluga whales

An aquarium in the US is auctioning off the chance to name three of its five recently arrived beluga whales to raise money for their care and transportation. Mystic Aquarium, located in Connecticut, is now hoping to raise at least US$4million out of the total US$5 million required to care for the cetaceans for a year. It includes roughly $250000 a year to pay for their food and veterinary care along with costs of running the habitat and related research.

Speaking to ABC News, Stephen Coan President and CEO confirmed that the Sea Research Foundation has teamed up with New York Based auction house Guernsey’s to hold the auction on August 19. As per Coan, through the auction, the three beluga whales will get what is known as their stage names adding that they’ve conducted similar events in the past. Reckoning that such events make people “excited”, he further added that names are given by the public make animals a part of the community.

Cross border transfer 

The Sea Research Foundation, which runs the Mystic Aquarium had spent millions of dollars last month to get permissions from both American and the Canadian government to get the marine creatures transported across the international borders. Additionally, they had also battled animal’s rights groups that had opposed the transfer. The pod initially resided in Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario but were relocated using custom-made stretchers and special tanks inside a C-130 cargo plane by the foundation.

Connecticut aquarium officials told Associated Press that the whales, which range in age from 7 to 12, were born in captivity and cannot be released into the ocean.  The new arrivals were previously held inside an overcrowded habitat with about 50 other whales but their new home gives them larger space to frolic. 

Meanwhile, another beluga whale is winning hearts over the internet. In a recently posted video, the whale could be seen getting excited after seeing a toy whale outside an aquarium. The video features a woman and a little girl watching the beluga whale inside the Mystic Aquarium in the United States. The adorable reaction of the beluga whale has won over the internet. The video was shared by Viralhog on YouTube and it has caught the attention of netizens.

Image: mysticaquarium/Twitter