New York City's Coney Island Aquarium has raised several baby belugas 
successfully, mainly by protecting the breastfeeding relationship. Two 
females were housed together in large enclosure, then the large windows 
were covered and the enclosure was surrounded by wooden barricades, 
about 4 to 6 feet away, to keep sound down. Visitors were welcome to get 
in line to look in small windows around the back of the enclosure, two 
or three at a time. The line snaked outside the wooden barricades, with 
signs all over them with "Shh, Baby Belugas Nursing". The belugas were 
observed by scientists at all times, with their behavior (bumping mom's 
nipple area to ask for milk, nursing, swimming near mom, etc) recorded 
every few seconds. There were several aquarium personnel educating the 
people at the front of the line NOT to touch the window or speak above a 
whisper.

Hudson, the firstborn of 2 male babies, did get ill at around 4 months 
old, and was separated from his mom for antibiotic treatment. At this 
time he was fed pureed fish. When returned to his mother, he went back 
to nursing, but he was never as large or developmentally advanced as 
Casey (a homophone for KC "Kathy's Calf"), his half brother born a few 
weeks later. Hudson didn't start solids on time (around the first 
birthday) and died during his second year of life, if I remember 
correctly. Later, a female calf was born (I think to Natasha, Hudson's 
mom) and did well.

All this is from recollection, but we spent many an hour in that line to 
get another look at the Baby Belugas. My DD even dressed as a beluga 
calf for that Halloween (try making THAT costume!), and I still remember 
all the words to Raffi's song about "the little white whale on the go", 
though that same child is a college student.

Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC, NYC

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