A teenage beluga whale's very human-like reaction to a marriage proposal taking place just outside her tank at the Georgia Aquarium has the internet buzzing. The TikTok video capturing last Wednesday's special moment has earned 6.9 million views, 2.7 million likes and 5,500 comments.
Qinu, a 16-year-old female beluga, at first seemed spellbound by the young couple posing for pics, but the whale's upturned smile turned into an open-mouthed expression of excitement when Gavin Hulberg went down on one knee and proposed to Olivia Walsh with a diamond engagement ring.
In the background audio, a crowd of aquarium onlookers can be heard cheering and applauding the couple. A few seconds later, a trainer comes into frame, gains Qinu's attention through the glass and directs her out of the scene.
Walsh, who has been interning with the beluga training team for the past three months, wrote in a TikTok comment that the aquarium proposal was the most thoughtful way Hulberg could have proposed.
She captioned the video, "The most perfect proposal I could've asked for" and punctuated the phrase with a Holding Back Tears emoji and a pink heart emoji.
According to people.com, Hulberg had reached out to the beluga whale training team at the aquarium to get "something special figured out" to make the proposal memorable.
Katie Lorenz, associate curator of mammals and birds, told people.com that Qinu's reaction at the tank window what not a taught behavior — it was her own.
TikTok commenters — there are 5,500 and counting — had a lot of fun adding clever quips about Qinu and her seeming affection for the newly engaged couple.
Wrote Keesh: "Beluga literally said 'aww.'"
Added Autumn Zhané : "The Beluga has to be a bridesmaid at this point."
Please check out the 38-second TikTok video here...
Credits: Screen captures via TikTok / withlovebyliv.