14-year-old male beluga whale Nunavik has been returned to the Atlanta facility after spending some time at SeaWorld Orlando. Male beluga whale Oliver, born in 2007 at SeaWorld San Antonio and then held at SeaWorld Orlando, has been moved to SeaWorld San Diego. The movement of these two whales now means no beluga whales are currently held at SeaWorld Orlando.
Nunavik was born at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium in 2009 and moved to the Georgia Aquarium in 2016. In 2022, male beluga whale Imaq died at Georgia Aquarium and it now seems Nunavik has replaced him in joining Georgia’s four female belugas – Maple, Shila, Qinu, and Whisper. According to the Aquarium’s press release, Nunavik will add a male presence to the female group, providing new opportunities for social interactions and ‘possible courtship behaviours’.
