The first orca calf born in captivity has died in Russia.
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In Russia, the first orca calf born in captivity died of a heart defect.
The first orca calf in Russia born in an artificial habitat died in the Moskvarium. The sad news was reported by the institution’s press service.
Orca Naya gave birth to her calf on December 29, 2023. The birth was difficult, but ended successfully. During the first weeks of life, the cub developed rapidly, but on January 26 his life was cut short due to a congenital heart defect that could not be diagnosed.
The official statement from Moskvarium notes that veterinarians did not examine the cub after its birth, limiting themselves to visual observation. They explained that interference in the first months of life could negatively affect the interaction between mother and baby.
Now Naya is experiencing the loss of her cub. However, she trusts the center’s trainers, so she allowed herself to be taken to a separate enclosure and pick up the dead cub. Now experts are helping the killer whale cope with the loss.
Naya was pregnant for 18 months. In killer whales, giving birth to babies is a complex process, and in the wild, newborns often die because their mothers are unable to quickly bring them to the surface for their first breath.
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