Whale gives speedy birth at aquarium

CHICAGO, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Officials at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium say an experienced beluga whale mother gave birth to a calf before workers could give their usual assistance.

Ken Ramirez, vice president and head trainer of the aquarium, said Mauyak, the 24-year-old mother, showed signs Wednesday that she might be preparing to give birth to the calf she had been carrying since spring of 2006, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.

However, after isolating the expectant mother from the other whales, she showed no further signs of labor and most of the Shedd staff went home for the night.

Ramirez said he received a call from a trainer about midnight saying the whale appeared to have having frequent contractions.

"I went back," he said, "and after seeing her, I thought we better call everybody back in. But at 1:34 a.m., Mauyak's water broke, and at 1:37 a.m. the calf's tail flukes began to come out."

Ramirez said Mauyak, who gave birth to a stillborn calf in 2005, is an attentive parent to the newborn.

"She seemed almost over-attentive," he said, "making sure that this calf would survive, focusing on making sure it got to the surface to breathe, careful that it didn't bump into any rocks."