Baby beluga to be revealed to public

CHICAGO, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Chicago's Shedd Aquarium said an 8-week-old baby beluga whale will go on display to the public for the first time this week.

Ken Ramirez, the aquarium's executive vice president of animal care and training, said the underwater viewing area for the unnamed female calf, mother Mauyak and "surrogate mother" Naya will be opened to the public at 11 a.m. Friday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday.

"We are really, really pleased with how well the calf is developing," Ramirez said. He said the baby whale is "very playful and very, very curious."

Ramirez said Naya, a "surrogate mother" to the calf, has been occasionally nursing the calf to give Mauyak a break, but officials do not believe Naya is currently producing milk. He said female whales and dolphins will sometimes "spontaneously lactate" to assist a mother in caring for her young.