Celebrating Two Decades of Babies at Georgia Aquarium

From Fluffy Chicks to Playful Calves—Meet Our Youngest Stars

Over the past twenty years, Georgia Aquarium has proudly welcomed a growing family of baby animals, each one a symbol of care, conservation, and scientific achievement. These births mark milestones not just for the Aquarium but also for global aquatic animal research and preservation efforts.

🐋 Shila – Beluga Whale Calf

On May 17, 2020, Shila, the beloved beluga whale calf, made her grand entrance into the world. Born to beluga whale Whisper, Shila weighed 174 pounds and measured 5 feet 4 inches long at birth. She now weighs 1,052 pounds and is 10 feet 6 inches long. Both mother and calf have since been thriving under the watchful care of our animal health and husbandry teams. You can watch her incredible journey here.

🦭 Scarlet – California Sea Lion Pup

Scarlet, an energetic California sea lion pup, was born on October 30, 2017. She was the first sea lion born at Georgia Aquarium and holds a special place in our hearts. Follow along with her story on our YouTube channel.

🐣 Puffin Chicks

Since 2018, 12 puffin chicks have hatched at the Aquarium. Our first chick, Fern, hatched on July 21, 2018, and our most recent, Gale, was born on July 26, 2024. Each chick plays a critical role in understanding African penguin behavior and breeding, aiding in the efforts to restore this endangered species. You can learn more about some of our chicks here.

🐧 African Penguin Chicks

Meanwhile, our African penguin colony has flourished. Since 2012, we’ve welcomed 49 penguin chicks. Our very first chick was Amara, a female, who hatched on January 9, 2012. Most recently, Ishirini joined the Aquarium family on February 1, 2025—her name means “twenty” in Swahili, which correlates perfectly with the 20th anniversary of Georgia Aquarium. Check out our latest video highlighting our latest chicks here.

Each of these births represents our mission in action: advancing research, enriching habitats, and inspiring the public to protect our ocean’s wildlife. As we celebrate two decades of care and conservation, we look forward to many more heartwarming arrivals in the years to come

.