Aquarium du Québec - Lakina and Balzak are leaving the nest

QUÉBEC CITY, Dec. 1, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Since their birth in May 2016, our walruses Lakina and Balzak have grown and have acquired the maturity and independence required to begin a new stage in their lives. The team that successfully supervised the birth of the young walruses is convinced that for the welfare of our entire walrus group, it now makes sense to transfer Lakina and Balzak to another zoological institution.

It is therefore with some pride that we announce that Lakina and Balzac will soon be transferred together to the Vancouver Aquarium, an Ocean Wise Conservation Organisation. This education and research organization is known the world over for its excellence. It is home to a vast array of 50,000 aquatic animals and marine mammals and has the facilities and expertise to care for and monitor our two protégés.

Moving two walruses is no simple matter, and we have some details to work out before determining the date of the transfer to their new institution, which could be completed before the beginning of the Christmas holiday season.

The departure of Lakina and Balzac will allow the three adult walruses to return to their communal pool. Since the birth of the walruses, our adult male, Boris, has been kept in a separate space since, in nature, the male does not usually stay with newborns. This separation has avoided the risk of injury to the little ones and facilitated the monitoring of their development. However, walruses are also social animals, so after a year and a half, the experts at Aquarium du Québec believe that Boris would benefit from a return to communal life.  

The extraordinary adventure of the births of the two young walruses a few days apart will remain a milestone event for the Aquarium du Québec team and for all those who have gone out of their way to make their acquaintance. The time has come to write a new chapter in the story of Lakina and Balzac.

SOURCE Société des établissements de plein air du Québec