Ailing Whale, Friend Arrive for Treatment

An ailing whale named Big Mouth and his female companion, Little Girl, arrived at Sea World on Sunday after a three-hour flight in a cargo plane.

The beluga whales were sent here by officials at the Minnesota Zoo who hope that experts at the aquatic amusement park can save the life of the 2,125-pound Big Mouth. The giant mammal suffers from an inflammatory bone infection--known as osteomyelitis--in his left flipper and may have less than a year to live.

Sea World spokesman Dan LeBlanc said the whales were captured together in Canada in 1977 and have been pals ever since. The 14-foot-long Little Girl, who is 12 years old and weighs 1,300 pounds, was sent along because she becomes distraught and won’t eat when separated from Big Mouth, who is 14 years old.

After their arrival at Lindbergh Field, the whales were taken by truck to Sea World and hoisted by crane into their new seawater pool.

Officials said the whales appeared to have weathered the trip well; they were eating willingly when offered a snack by animal behaviorist Diane Godwin.

Beluga whales, also known as white whales, normally live from 30 to 40 years. But the 15-foot-long Big Mouth has been plagued with medical problems. Last year, he underwent surgery to have a fist-sized lesion removed from his lip.

LeBlanc said testing of Big Mouth will begin today.