Hopes high sick beluga gets well soon
Aquarium takes Gasper off exhibit for topflight treatment
By Peggy Mihelich
CNN
Friday, April 21, 2006; Posted: 10:40 a.m. EDT (14:40 GMT)
Gasper recuperates in his tank next to the main whale exhibit
Tuesday.
Image:
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Each day, thousands of visitors press up
against the acrylic glass at the Georgia Aquarium to watch a
playful beluga whale named Gasper. Gasper takes center-stage at the
viewing window, blowing bubbles and making faces at wide-eyed
children who coo and laugh at him and his tank mates -- Nico,
Natasha, Maris and Marina.
But for the past week the front of the window has been noticeably
empty.
The 17-year-old male beluga whale is being held in a tank next to
the main beluga whale exhibit, out of public view, so veterinary
staff can attend to his suppressed appetite, raspy breathing and
chronic skin disorder.
On Tuesday he showed signs of returning to his normal self. He'd
had a good afternoon feeding and was up to his old "bubble
trick."
"He's starting to feel better. So we're pleased about that, but
cautiously optimistic -- the healing process takes a long time,"
said Eric Gaglione, the aquarium's husbandry manager, shortly after
feeding Gasper. (Watch Gasper during his feeding on Tuesday --
:4
Gasper has not been especially healthy since arriving at the
aquarium in October 2005. He came to Georgia from Mexico
underweight and with skin lesions on his fin, tail and body. Gasper
and Nico were on display at the LeFeria de Chapultepec amusement
park in Mexico City, in a tank surrounded by a rollercoaster.
read more at http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/04/21/sick.beluga.whale/index.html
