It’s an early Christmas in Japan’s Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Aquarium which has put on an incredible show where scuba divers dressed as Santa, deliver scuba gifts to the aquariums resident Beluga Whales.

The Yokohama Hakkeikima Sea Paradise located at the tip of the Yokohama Bay in Japan, is a combination of an amusement park styled aquarium, combining the best of both worlds, amusement park styled rides, like surf coasters, free fall drops, and merry go rounds, as well as an aquarium that boast of Japan’s largest collection of marine life. With over 500 different varieties of fish and over 100,000 sea creatures, the Hakkeikima Sea Paradise is also one of Japan’s largest aquariums boasting of undersea tunnels and large three story viewing tanks.

In the Scuba show which launched this November at the Sea Paradise, a Scuba diving Santa Claus feeds the white beluga whale’s sardines in front of the spectators in a special run up show to Christmas. Beluga whales are, in fact, the smartest animals on earth with an average I.Q. of 155, and are known to learn extremely quickly which is why they can perform complex shows at aquariums. The Scuba Santa show at the Sea Paradise is an amazing example of the intelligence of these whales. (Also read: Beluga Whale Saves Free Diver from Drowning)

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While it may sound quite like  a scene from the famous whale movie ‘Free Willy’, recent news reported a Beluga Whale that sensed the distress of a free diver and saved her from drowning by pushing her up to the surface.

Free diver Yang Yun owes her life to a Beluga whale named Mila at Polar Land in Harbin, north east China. News reported that the 26 year old free diver had been taking part in a free diving contest without any breathing apparatus.  Competitors had to swim to the bottom of a 20ft arctic pool and stay there for as long as possible. The large tank was home to beluga whales one of which spotted diver Yang Yun struggling as her legs paralyzed with crippling cramps due to the cold temperatures.

Lucky Yun  told a reporter : “I began to choke and sank even lower and I thought that was it for me – I was dead. Until I felt this incredible force under me driving me to the surface.”

The Beluga Mila was said to have helped Yun by grabbing on to her leg with it’s mouth before organizers even noticed the problem and they watched in amazement how using her sensitive dolphin like nose  the whale guided the helpless diver safely to the surface.

Beluga whales like dolphins, are known for their intelligence, sensitivity as well playfulness towards humans.  These social creatures can grow up t 15ft (5m) in length and are a striking white color with a humped head. Beluga’s are popular for their amusing facial expressions unlike other whales and they have an almost perpetual smile giving them a friendly face. An amazing fact about this whale is that it unlike most whales can swim backwards.

Unfortunately the dwindling numbers of this species has put it on the Endangered list. Found particularly in very cold waters around Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia, the biggest threat to the whale is human caused pollution from our rivers which flow out to the oceans where this whale resides. Hunting is another reason.

Let the remarkable story of Mila the hero Beluga whale, one of our world’s beautiful creatures be a reminder to us all of  the plight of our oceans today.