A beluga whale calf has been born at Guangzhou Zhengjia Polar Ocean World (southern China), the fifth to be born in the country.
The mother gave birth in November 2020, however, the facility officially announced the news only this week, but it is not unusual following a birth for the facility to delay announcing the event, in case the calf does not survive the first weeks/months of its life.
Zhengjia Polar Ocean World, also known as Grandview Mall Aquarium, is located on the second and third floors of Zhengjia Plaza, holding hundreds of different marine species including sharks, penguins, otters and walruses on public display – the latter perform in circus-style shows for the public.
Having the world’s longest single aquarium display tank, it is often dubbed the “saddest zoo in the world” due to some of its animals (wolves, bears and Arctic foxes) being kept in bare, dimly-kit, concrete enclosures. The facility opened in 2016 and purchased wild-caught beluga whales from Russia which sadly also live in cramped, inadequate conditions and display stereotypic behaviours.
