gr03678.xml Zoological Board: An Inventory of Its Whale Files at the Minnesota Historical Society Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul, MN.

Government Records

 Finding aid encoded by Meagan Kellom May 2026 Finding aid written in English. OVERVIEW Minnesota Historical Society Minnesota State Zoological Board, creator. Whale Files. 1977-1990. Materials in English. The whale management files include activity and medical records, clippings, legal papers, correspondence, and photographs documenting the whales at the zoo and Sea World (1977-1990). 1.7 cubic feet (1 box and 1 partial box). See Detailed Description for shelf locations. HISTORICAL NOTE

In August, 1977, the zoo captured two beluga whales in the Churchill River near Hudson's Bay, Canada. The two whales, a male named Big Mouth and a female named Little Girl, were the major attractions when the zoo opened in 1978. In 1984, Big Mouth injured his jaw while chewing on a feeding platform or water pipe; x-rays in May, 1986, showed the infection had moved into the bone. On July 10, 1986, surgery was performed to shorten and reconstruct his jaw. The zoo announced on April 15, 1987 that Big Mouth had developed osteomyelitis, an inoperable acute bone infection, in his left flipper, and would be moved to Sea World in San Diego on April 26, in hopes the natural sea water would aid his recovery. Little Girl, who reacted poorly to being separated from Big Mouth, was also moved. Little Girl died unexpectedly on June 12, 1989 of cardiopulmonary collapse, and Big Mouth was euthanized in June, 1990, due to the spread of his disease. In 1988, the zoo board decided against mounting another whale exhibit.

 SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Files of the whale study committee, appointed in 1987 to consider the future of the beluga whale program, include minutes, correspondence, itineraries, legal documents, and preliminary and final reports.

The whale management files include activity and medical records for both whales, continuing through their years at Sea World (1977-1990); information on other whale exhibits (1987); U.S. and Canadian permits to capture belugas (1987); public response - both pro and con - to the whale program (1987); legal documents (1988-1990); clippings (1986-1987); correspondence from Sea World staff, including photos of the whales (1987-1988), and from Frank Wright, zoo veterinarian, detailing Big mouth's initial treatment and surgery (1986-1989); publicity (1987); whale tank reports (1977-1980, 1988); Dr. J. R. Geraci's evaluation of the zoo's marine mammal program (1987); and the background data used by the zoo board in determining to discontinue the whale program (1987).

Files of the whale study committee, appointed in 1987 to consider the future of the beluga whale program, include minutes, correspondence, itineraries, legal documents, and preliminary and final reports. They detail statewide hearings, the zoo's relationship with the House Committee on Appropriations, and a lawsuit brought by the Sierra Club, et al., in opposition to extending the zoo's permits.

The videocassette tapes include coverage of the belugas on KTCA-TV's Newton's Apple show (1984), Twin Cities TV stations broadcast news clips concerning the belugas' move to Sea World (April 15-27, 1987), and Twin Cities and San Diego TV stations broadcast news clips of the whales' move, whale activity at Sea World, and Big Mouth's death (1987-1990).

 ARRANGEMENT

Arranged in three subseries: whale management files, whale study committee files, and whale videocassette tapes.

 CATALOG HEADINGS Topics: Animal housing -- Minnesota. Big Mouth (Whale). Care of sick animals -- Minnesota. Euthanasia of animals -- Minnesota. Little Girl (Whale). White whale -- Transportation. White whale -- Health -- Minnesota. Zoo animals -- Minnesota. Zoos -- Press coverage. Organizations: Minnesota Zoological Garden -- Public relations. Sea World. Document Types: Medical records. Photographs. Videotapes. Titles: Newton's apple (Television program). ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota State Zoological Board. Whale Files. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 994-111; 999-74

 Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 990017314880104294

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION 103.C.16.6F1Whale management files: Whale No. 22 [Big Mouth]: Activity records, 1977-1988. Surgery and records, 1986-1989.

Includes Sea World's records.

 Tests-data, 1977-1987. Whale chemistries, 1977-1986. Whale No. 23 [Little Girl]: Activity records, 1977-1989. Blood results and clinical notes, 1985-1986. Feed records, 1977-1987. Big Mouth and Little Girl medical condition reports, 1987-1990.

Mainly concerning their move to Sea World and Little Girl's death.

 Brookfield Zoo [7 Seas Panorama], 1987. Geraci Report, 1987.

Evaluation of the marine mammal program at MZG by J. R. Geraci, VMD, PhD, Ontario Veterinary College.

 Miscellaneous, 1985-1987. Miscellaneous: Chronological correspondence, 1987-1988. Permits, 1987.

Cover both U.S. and Canadian permits.

 Permit addendum, 1987. Point Defiance, Portland, 1987. Public response to whale program, 1987.

Both pro and con; typed sheets of condensed comments from letters and telephone calls.

 Reports, 1986-1987. Sea World correspondence, 1987-1988.

Includes photos of the whales at Sea World.

 Shedd Aquarium, 1987. Vancouver Aquarium, 1987. Water quality, 1987-1988. Whale background statement, July 1987.

Data used by MZG to determine whether to continue the whale program.

 Whales correspondence (Wright), 1986-1989. Frank Wright, Staff Veterinarian at MZG.

Mainly about Big Mouth's treatment and surgery.

 Whale crisis and news clippings, 1986-1987. Whale documents regarding legal issues, 1988-1990.

Documents sent to the attorney general.

 Whale letters, 1987. 2 folders.

Letters from the public for and against having a whale exhibit. [These two folders of whale letters are a sample selection. There was a total of 8 inches of whale letters from which this random sample was made for illustrative purposes. Non-sample whale letters were discarded.]

 Whale publicity, 1987. 2 folders. Whales: Press, 1986-1989. Whale tank: Bacteriological reports, 1977-1979. Tank reports, 1977-1980. Tests, 1988. 103.C.16.7B2Whale Study Committee files:

One year study committee to determine the future of the beluga whale program.

 Committee correspondence, 1987-1988. Consultants, 1987-1988. Hearings, 1987-1988.

Correspondence, itineraries, and agendas for hearings in Mankato, Hibbing, Rochester, Willmar, Moorhead, and Duluth.

 Phyllis Kahn's Committee, 1987-1988.

House Committee on Appropriations.

 Lawsuit: Comments, affidavits and supporting attachments of Sierra Club, et al. in opposition to extension of NMFS Permit No. 200 to the Minnesota Zoological Garden, November 1987. 3 folders. Faegre and Benson [Attorneys for the Sierra Club, et al.], 1987-1988. Minutes, 1987-1988. Preliminary and final reports, February and June 1988.

Reports done by Peter Thomas.

 Whale Committee, 1988. Whale videocassette tapes, 1984, 1987-1990. 6 tapes: KTCA-TV Newton's Apple show with story concerning Beluga whales, 1984. 1 tape.

The whale story is the last story on the show.

 TV coverage of the Beluga whales move to San Diego, April 15-27, 1987. 4 tapes.

Twin Cities TV stations broadcast news clips concerning whales' impending move to Sea World in San Diego and the actual transport of the whales.

 Big Mouth and Little Girl news stories, 1987-1990. 1 tape.

Twin Cities and San Diego TV stations broadcast news clips regarding move of the whales from Minnesota to Sea World in San Diego, whale activity at Sea World and the death of Big Mouth.