"It is a very unique program," Magao said, adding, "One of our main goals in doing this program is educating people about belugas."
Offered daily from May through August, Beluga Contact sessions begin with a 20-minute orientation, during which participants don waders over their clothing to keep them relatively warm and dry during their time in the tank. Belugas, which are not endangered, are most commonly found in Arctic and Sub-Arctic waters, so as you might imagine, the water in the tank is a bit on the chilly side.
After learning a bit about the whales, plus some important tips for how to shuffle along when waist-deep in waders so as not to tip over and fall into the deep part of the tank, it was time for us to meet Kela, one of three belugas that live at Mystic Aquarium. All three have Inuit names, and Kela, short for Kelalukak, which means, "white one who leads," is actually the smallest of the trio. She seemed larger than life to me, so I can't imagine how I would have felt face-to-face with the 1,800-pound male whale, Inuk.
During the course of our half-hour in the water, Kela was amazingly cooperative in allowing us to touch her tail, fin and back, to look right into her blowhole, and to pat her "melon"--the fatty, rounded structure at the top of her head, which changes shape as she emits her repertoire of sounds. Kela was quite chatty and seemed happy to have company. Magao said, "Kela tends to be very vocal; she cheers herself on." The white whale's most playful moments and most gossipy-sounding intonations were definitely shared with Magao. "I love these animals that I work with," the trainer said. "You form a relationship with them."
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