The beluga is the white whale of the Arctic, and in the US it lives only in Alaska, which has five separate beluga populations. Its whistles, squeals, and chirps earned it the nickname “canary of the sea.” Calves are born gray and slowly turn white as they grow up.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Adult males are about 11–18 ft (3.5–5.5 m) long; females are smaller, and the average weight is around 3,150 lb (1,430 kg). They have a rounded, flexible head with no beak and a low ridge instead of a dorsal fin, which helps them swim under ice. can make up 40% of their weight.
- Voice
- Whistles, squeals, chirps, and clicks.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Arctic and subarctic seas
- River mouths
- Shallow bays and inlets
- Range
- Found around the Arctic Ocean and nearby cold seas. In the US, belugas live in Alaskan waters, in the Beaufort Sea, eastern Chukchi Sea, eastern Bering Sea, Bristol Bay, and Cook Inlet.
- Preferred conditions
- In summer they gather in shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and river deltas, returning to the same spots each year; at other times they move offshore and can dive to about 3,300 ft (1,000 m). They handle water as cold as 32°F (0°C).
Behavior
- Diet
- Fish such as salmon, eulachon, cod, herring, and flatfish, plus squid, octopus, crabs, shrimp, and clams. In Alaska, their feeding is closely tied to salmon and eulachon runs.
- Social life
- Very social. Groups range from a few whales to several hundred, and individuals often switch groups.
- Senses
- Use to find their way and their prey. Unlike most whales, their neck bones aren't fused, so they can turn their heads.
Life cycle
- Breeding season
- Mating in late winter and spring; calves are born in summer in warm, shallow water.
- Gestation
- About 14–15 months
- Litter size
- 1 calf, every 2–3 years
- Time to maturity
- Females mature at about 6–14 years.
- Lifespan
- Tooth-dating studies suggest some live 70–80 years.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
- Threats
- Climate change, pollution, ocean noise, habitat changes, and limits on prey.
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- “Beluga” comes from the Russian word for “white.” It's not related to the beluga sturgeon, a fish with the same name.
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