Beluga whales are beloved for their quirky personalities and almost human-like faces that look like they’re smiling. Known as “sea canaries” for their complex vocalizations, these whales are highly social and live in close-knit pods in arctic waters.
Now, a 13-year-old beluga whale named Kimalu is making history at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, after becoming the first-ever to successfully put under anesthesia and brought back up safely. She needed the surgery to remove a large network of cysts that were growing on her head and neck near her blowhole.
“She is a funny spitfire of a beluga,” said Johnny Ford, Senior Director of Public Relations at the Shedd Aquarium. “Kimalu was born here and is beloved by our guests and our staff.”
When Kimalu was a calf, her caretakers noticed a bump that had developed on her head. After the veterinary staff lanced and drained it, the problem seemed to resolve until recently.
Caretakers began to see a visible bump on Kimalu’s head, under the skin. Immediately, they began to take samples and do ultrasounds before deciding to get a closer look with the help of a CT scan.
The scan revealed a network of cysts, some of which were hard and mineralized. It also became clear that some of the cysts were growing – putting pressure on her skull and potentially endangering her well-being. So, the veterinary and care teams decided that surgery was the only option to provide Kimalu with relief and ensure her long-term welfare.
“The mass was compressed between her skull and blubber layer, which caused it to harden over time,” said Vice President of Animal Health at the Shedd Aquarium, Karisa Tang, DVM, DACZM. “We didn’t want to have to sedate her, but it was the only option to remove the cyst. Kimalu is considered a young adult whale, and we wanted to give her the best chance to live a healthy life.”
As aquatic animals, beluga whales are what’s called “voluntary breathers,” as opposed to land mammals who breathe automatically, often even while sedated. That, combined with the fact that adult belugas weigh between 1,000-2,000 pounds, makes the process of anesthetizing whales even more challenging and potentially risky.
“There is no playbook for anesthetizing a beluga and taking her into surgery,” Dr. Tang said. “So, we called on our network of experts both here at the aquarium and around the country to help guide this procedure.”
One of those calls came to Arthrex by way of Dean Hendrickson, DVM, DACVS, a veterinary surgeon at Colorado State University, who is on the board at the Shedd Aquarium.
“Dr. Hendrickson reached out and asked to use one of our shaver systems and pumps to help remove the hardened cyst,” said Arthrex Vet Systems Senior Product Manager Tony Gawaldo. “We sent them the shaver handpiece, console and arthroscopy pump, along with a series of burrs and absorbable sutures. No one had ever done a procedure like this before, so we wanted to give them options.”
Tony also arranged to have Chicago-area Arthrex Vet Systems sales consultant Nirali Patel Carder attend the surgery to offer support and help set up the equipment.
“The surgery world within zoos is very small, and Arthrex Vet is always willing to help when treating these unique animals,” Tony said. “It’s really an honor to have been called in to support this historic surgery.”
The surgery was successful, with teams removing about 75% of the cysts—focusing on those that created the greatest risk to her comfort and health. Kimalu is now recovering with her care team by her side 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The aquarium is cautiously optimistic about her prognosis.
“We are monitoring her very closely and she has a companion whale with her, along with her caretakers, around the clock.” Johnny said.
And crucially, the team proved that under the right conditions, a beluga whale can successfully be put under anesthesia and brought back up again.
“This is a historic milestone that changes our understanding of how to care for beluga whales,” Dr. Tang said. “We will share our findings with other veterinarians around the world and hope it may even advance the well-being of wild belugas.”
