In what was not an unexpected turn of events, the baby Beluga whale rescued from Bristol Bay, near the Diamond O cannery at Naknek, last month has died.

The baby Beluga, that was only days old when it was rescued, had the odds stacked against it as whales and dolphins have a very low survival rate when separated from their mothers at such a young age. It was amazing that the small creature survived as long as it did. It died on Sunday around midnight.

Because it was separated from its mother and therefore was deprived of the mother’s essential milk that helps keep up its immune system, its chances of survival to any age was in doubt from the start. Officials at the Alaska Sealife Center were hopeful that it would survive and the fact that it was swimming and eating on its own was encouraging.

There had been many specialists in the care of baby whales available to the center, and the time that the small creature was at the center, it was well cared for and under the watchful eyes of specialists at all times. But, none of that could save the tiny Beluga.

A necropsy was performed yesterday, the results are not available, however.