Birthdate: August 16th 2007
Born at: Shedd Aquarium
Relatives: mother Mauyak, father Naluark, and the halfsister Bella and the halfbrothers Qannik, Nunavik and Naya's calf (deceased)
Miki was
born on August 16th 2007 at Shedd Aquarium. His mother Mauyak had
already given birth to several calves before, but only one had made it: Qannik.
Miki’s halfbrother Qannik had however been moved to Point Defiance Zoo and
Aquarium about two months before Miki was born. When Miki was about 2 weeks
old, on August 31st 2007, he was introduced to Naya who has helped
to take care of Shedd Aquarium’s earlier beluga calves Kayavak, Qannik and
Bella. On December 21st 2007 Miki got his name. At that time it had
been a naming contest where you could vote for the names: Ipitok, Opipok,
Tuwawi, Nilak, Kimalu, Mituk, Nunavik, Aniuk, Aput and Akiak. You could also
give your own proposals and it was the name proposal Miki that “won”. Miki
means “little”.
In
August/September 2008 Miki and the rest of Shedd Aquarium’s belugas were moved
to Mystic Aquarium while their centre at Shedd Aquarium was going to be re-built. At Mystic Aquarium’s web cam you could often watch Miki being trained
together with his mother Mauyak or halfsister Bella. All of Shedd Aquarium’s
cetaceans are trained with symbols and when you see them train it is therefore
easy to identify who is who if you can see their symbols. Miki’s symbol is a yellow and blue moon. In the spring of 2009 Miki and the rest of Shedd Aquarium's belugas were moved back to Shedd Aquarium where Miki lives today. Miki weighs about 100 kilograms and measures 1,8 meters
(weight and length 2007).