A Baby Beluga Birthday

How much does a beluga whale grow in a year? The answer is A LOT! Remember when Georgia Aquarium announced the birth of a beluga whale calf? Well, that calf has a name and she's just turned 2 years old. Catch up with Shila on her birthday and find out how much she eats a day (spoiler: it's not cake)!

You can relive her amazing birth story and stream THE AQUARIUM, only on discovery+.

Updated May 10, 2022

May 17, 2021

By: Discovery and Georgia Aquarium

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Photo By: The Georgia Aquarium

Photo By: Addison Hill

Photo By: The Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium is celebrating an extra special birthday on May 17. Shila, the baby beluga whale, is turning 2 years old!

Beluga whale, Whisper, gave birth to Shila in 2020. Since then, Shila has been growing…and growing! Gaining over 800 lbs. since her birth, Shila now weighs nearly 1000 lbs. - which is very healthy for a young beluga calf.

Shila spends a lot of time with her mom, Whisper, and animal trainers, who say she is a fast learner. Shila has been learning several different husbandry behaviors, which allow the animal team to check that she is in good health.

Shila will continue her training while reaching important milestones.

Join us in wishing sweet Shila a “Happy 2nd birthday”!

It's a girl! Shila was born at the Georgia Aquarium on May 17, 2020. She was born to 20-year-old mother, named Whisper.

Shila weighed 174 lbs at birth and was about five feet four inches in length.

One year later, Shila weighed 719.5 lbs and was 8 feet and 3 inches long. Adult female beluga whales can be up to 13 feet and weigh almost 3,000 lbs!

Shila ate about 4 to 5 lbs of solid food per day, in addition to nursing from Whisper. Beluga whales have a varied diet, which can consist of octopus, squid, crabs, shrimp, clams, snails, and they also eat a variety of fishes.

Shila continues to learn new behaviors, notably from mimicking other whales.

Also known as "sea canaries," belugas are one of the most the most vocal of all whales.

Shila is very playful with a variety of enrichment and spends a lot of time refining her water play and bubble play skills.