beluga whale

Whales, like elephants, are true gentle giants. In the water, we would prefer not to encounter them, but in memes? Whale, whale, whale... someone's so insanely adorable. Really, whale memes would be welcome any day, but especially on National Shamu the Whale Day. We thought it would be the perfect timing to showcase some of our favorite whale memes.

They're smooth, they purse their lips adorably, and they always look ever so slightly confused. Truly, it is amazing that these are some of the fiercest, most dangerous animals of the sea. It takes true whalepower to get through the last day of the workweek, so charge up on these whaletastic memes. 

If you guys aren't following @shedd_aquarium on Twitter, you're definitely missing out on some under the sea magic! 

The staff are currently letting the penguins roam the empty aquarium and documenting their adventures!

And on March 31st, Wellington the Penguin meet beluga whales -- for the very first time! And the belugas are northern hemisphere animals, so they likely have never seen a penguin either!

Which explains the second belugas curiosity as it presses its head against the glass for a better look! 

A clip first shared on November 7 that shows South African rugby fans playing "fetch" with a beluga whale was quick to capture the hearts of many, but it also raised questions and speculation about the mammal and its nature. Science writer @ferrisjabr shared some additional context and background, arguing that the whale is "likely Hvaldimir, a once captive whale who may have escaped a Russian military program."

And obviously the Internet just had to photoshop the photo.