It's a latch!

Qila, a beluga, gave birth to her first calf at 4:28 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, 2008.

This newborn calf latched on and nursed for the first time at 12:06 a.m., June 11, 2008, meeting another of her critical milestones within eight hours of birth.

Beluga calves do not suck. Instead the mother squirts the milk into her calf's mouth. The frilly-edged tongue of a baby beluga helps it to form a seal when nursing.

Every day of this calf's new life contributes to our limited knowledge of beluga birth and calf development, so we're watching Qila and her calf around the clock to monitor bonding and nursing behaviours. The watch will continue for several months and will record all the calf's developmental milestones.

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