Shedd Aquarium

BIG beluga news! We are joyously welcoming the newest member of the beluga whale pod at Shedd, born shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24, to mother, Naya. Mom and calf are doing well behind the scenes, with round-the-clock care from our veterinary and animal care teams. The calf is estimated to be 5 feet long and close to 105 pounds. The first few months of a beluga calf’s life are vital, and Shedd’s animal care team remains cautiously optimistic. For the next few weeks, caretakers will be watching day and night, observing the calf for important milestones, like regular nursing of mom’s fat-rich milk, rapid weight gain, bonding and swimming with mom – also called slipstreaming. To allow time and space for these vital milestones and observations, Shedd’s Secluded Bay habitat will stay temporarily closed. Beluga whale births are rarely seen in the wild. Observing them here at Shedd helps us collect data on the biology and behaviors associated with beluga whale pregnancy, birth and infancy. These invaluable insights help us to make well-informed, science-driven recommendations to safeguard some of the world’s most vulnerable beluga whale subpopulations in the wild. Stay tuned for more updates on calf and mom in the days to come, including when guests might get a peek at the new baby! We are thrilled to take you on this journey with us.

Today, alongside our partners at the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, we are celebrating a huge win for our shared blue planet, and what better time to announce it than during Plastic Free July? The Biden-Harris administration released the first-ever federal report outlining a comprehensive U.S. approach to addressing plastic pollution – one of the largest challenges facing aquatic animals, environments and the communities that depend on them. We all have a role to play in turning the tide on plastic pollution, and today’s announcement demonstrates a big step forward toward healthier, blue futures for us all. Learn more about this plan to eliminate single-use plastics — https://bit.ly/3SgtBGi

Get ready to rockhop with excitement — we've got double the news! We are welcoming two new southern rockhopper penguin chicks to the colony at Shedd and are excited to share all about them with you! - The young birds hatched just days apart on June 18 and June 20. - They weigh nearly three pounds and are growing fast! - Both chicks are being raised by their biological parents — one chick by first-time parents, Bosco and Tussock, and the second by Edward and Annie. - Yes, that means Wellington has another grandchick! - The Animal Care team is providing both sets of parents with supplemental food throughout the day to keep their energy levels high and ensure they have plenty of food to provide their chicks. - The chicks can be seen in neighboring nests on exhibit in Polar Play Zone! The first few months of life can be crucial for the development of young penguins, so the Animal Care team is keeping a watchful eye on the new arrivals and remains cautiously optimistic. Stay tuned for more chick check-ins!

Happy Shark and Ray Awareness Day! While seeing a shark dorsal fin might send swimmers to shore, sharks are usually more scared of us than we are of them! These incredible predators are often misunderstood. Sharks are crucial to their habitats, playing a key role in maintaining balance in aquatic ecosystems. The global populations of oceanic sharks and rays have decreased by 71% over the past 50 years, primarily due to overfishing. Shedd Aquarium and our partners, like The Shark Trust, are speaking up for their survival — and you can, too! Sign the Big Shark Pledge to add your voice to the ocean of advocates vowing to protect high-seas sharks and rays — https://lnkd.in/g2ww5VXv.

It’s Plastic Free July! Plastic pollution is an issue that threatens the health of wildlife, their habitats and greenspaces for people to connect to nature. About 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes every year! Large plastic items discarded on beaches such as single-use bags, straws, wrappers, takeout containers and utensils eventually fragment into smaller plastic particles that cannot be filtered from our water and can enter animal and human bloodstreams. We are making a difference by reducing our plastic footprint, advocating for meaningful policy changes, supporting local restaurants with plastic reduction efforts and leading volunteers in coastal cleanups around Chicago. But we cannot do it alone, and collective action is critical to tackling plastic pollution! Join us in reducing your plastic footprint, too, by playing Plastic Free July Bingo! Take a screenshot of our Plastic Free July bingo card and fill it out as you participate in plastic reduction efforts throughout the month! Post your bingo card and tag us to encourage your friends and family to join. Also, visit our Let’s Shedd Plastic page to discover our Let’s Shedd Plastic restaurant partners and resources to help you fill out your bingo card — https://bit.ly/3VXy2XP.

Cooper and Watson then versus now. 🦦🦦 This week marks Cooper and Watson’s fifth anniversary at Shedd! After Monterey Bay Aquarium rescued them, these two found their home here in July 2019 and remain closely bonded. Cooper, the second lightest-colored otter at Shedd, may be seen actively backflipping in his habitat or play-wrestling with Watson. You can tell them apart by their facial fur. Watson still has dark fur all over his face, head and body.

Red lionfish, lake whitefish and blue devil damselfish. 🐠 Happy 4th of July from Shedd Aquarium! 🇺🇸

We embrace and lift up the beautiful and dynamic diversity of our shared blue planet every day at Shedd. Today, we feature Roy G. Biv, the Brazilian rainbow boa, in celebration of Pride Month, showcasing the vibrant brilliance of our world. 🏳🌈🏳️⚧️

Happy National Selfie Day from Shedd Aquarium!

Today, Shedd Aquarium proudly recognizes the emancipation of Black Americans – an important moment in our country's history. We embrace the message of equality that this day represents and celebrate the hope it brings for a better tomorrow.