This week he has been rejoined by 3½-year-old Bella and 2½-year-old Miki – fresh from a week in Fantasea – and you can watch them play from an underwater vantage point in Polar Play Zone or topside at Secluded Bay. Or both! Ken Ramirez, Shedd’s executive v.p. of animal programs and training, says, "The three young belugas are interested in each other and are at such a playful age that we see them chasing and nipping each other and mimicking behaviors." You might catch Bella and Miki practicing new moves they learned for the show, spyhopping, splashing and even surprisingly speedy spinning, more like the dolphins’ than the slower rotations of the adult belugas. Can the copy-cat calf be far behind?

If you’re really lucky, you’ll see the calf levitate – well, that’s what it looks like, only under water. He’s playing with his buoyancy, holding a perfect horizontal pose as he rises and sinks in the pool. It’s a little spooky, but it’s all play – and superb breathe control. Visit soon to catch all the fun.

Posted by Karen Furnweger, web editor

See previous Beluga calf update