Attend the Blessing of the Beluga Whales at Mystic Aquarium

By Becky Giantonio

Mystic, CT - On November 21, from 11 a.m. to noon, visitors to Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, a division of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., will witness a truly unique ceremony during the rededication of the Arctic Coast exhibit, an event to recognize the generous gift from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation that made construction of the exhibit possible.

In 1996, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation gave the Aquarium $5 million, which funded the expansive outdoor exhibit that currently houses the Aquarium’s three beluga whales and the seven belugas visiting from Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Containing more than 750,000 gallons of water, it is one of the largest outdoor beluga exhibits in the nation.

Originally named the Alaskan Coast, the exhibit was recently renamed to accommodate a wider range of species, providing the opportunity for this rededication.

The ceremony will include speeches from Sea Research representatives, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation councilors and elders from Point Lay, Alaska, where Dr. Tracy Romano, senior vice president of research and zoological operations at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, conducts beluga research each summer.

A blessing of the exhibit and animals, ceremonial dance performance organized by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the unveiling of the new exhibit plaque will follow.

On the evening of November 21, Dr. Romano and Robert Suydam of the Department of Wildlife Management in North Slope Borough, Alaska, will give presentations on research around beluga whales, the Arctic and climate change during a wine and cheese reception from 6 to 8 p.m.

WHAT:             Rededication of Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration’s Arctic Coast exhibit, in recognition of the gift from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation that funded the construction. An evening reception will focus on beluga whales and climate change.

WHEN:             November 21: Rededication – 11 a.m., Evening Reception – 6 p.m.

WHERE:           Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355

COST:              Rededication – free with Aquarium admission – Adults $24, seniors $21, children (3 to 17) $18 and free for children 2 and under.

                        Evening reception – $12, $10 for aquarium members. Please RSVP by November 18 by calling (860) 572-5955, ext. 204 or e-mailing reservations@mysticaquarium.org.

For more information, call (860) 572-5955 ext. 204 or e-mail reservations@mysticaquarium.org.

About Sea Research Foundation, Inc.
Mystic Aquarium, Institute for Exploration and Immersion Presents are divisions of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., a private, non-profit, charitable organization incorporated in the State of Connecticut. The mission of Sea Research is to inspire people to care for and protect our ocean planet through education, research and exploration.

About the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
The Mashantucket Pequots are a people having endured centuries of conflict, survival and continuity on and around one of America’s oldest Indian reservations established in 1666. Today, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation owns the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods Resort Casino, along with several other economic ventures, including a world-class Museum and Research Center; the Lake of Isles Golf Course, a joint-venture partnership establishing the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, and Foxwoods Development Company dedicated to world-class resort development throughout the United States and Caribbean. Altogether, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation remains one of the State of Connecticut’s highest tax payers and largest employers. Likewise, the Tribe provides significant financial contributions to state and local non-profit organizations that support neighboring communities.