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BELUGA WHALE
Delphinapterus leucas
meaning of Greek name: white dolphin without a fin (because
they have no dorsal fin)
DESCRIPTION:
Adult beluga whales are completely white, a characteristic
reflected in their scientific name, in their common name (beluga
comes from the Russian word for white), and in one of their
nicknames, the White Whale. When born, belugas are not white,
but gray or brown. They get darker during their first month
of life, gradually turning lighter as they grow older. Belugas
have a small beak, a prominent melon or bulging forehead,
no dorsal (back) fin, and have a stocky build. They reach
their full size when they are about 10 years old. Males reach
a maximum of 15 feet (4.5 m) in length and weigh up to 3,300
lbs (1500kg). Females are 10 to 13 feet (3-4 m), weigh up
to 3,000 lbs (1,364 kg), and they have 30 to 40 teeth. Unlike
other whales and dolphins, belugas' neck bones are not fused,
allowing them to turn their heads.
RANGE/HABITAT:
Belugas are found in arctic and subarctic waters. They generally
remain close to drifting ice and within shallower waters off
the continental shelf. Sometimes they are spotted in the open
ocean and are even known to regularly enter fresh water. One
beluga was found 600 miles (965 km) up the Yukon River. Some
groups of belugas remain fairly resident, while others migrate.
In the eastern Pacific, belugas are found along the West Coast
of Alaska to Bristol Bay and into the Gulf of Alaska.
BEHAVIOR:
Belugas are very social and are usually found in groups or
pods of two to ten, but over 1,000 have been sighted at one
time. They are among the most vocal of whales, and their chirps
and whistles have earned them a second nickname, sea canaries.
Belugas use echolocation, a process of locating objects or
prey by sending out sound and listening for echoes. About
100 different kinds of prey are eaten by belugas, including
octopus, squid, crabs, shrimp, clams, snails, sandworms, and
fish. Belugas have few natural predators except for polar
bears and killer whales. Polar bears and human hunters take
advantage of ice-trapped belugas, by waiting for them to surface
at breathing holes in the ice. Humans have also hunted these
whales by driving them ashore. Native peoples use belugas
for oil, meat, and (historically) making bootlaces. Commercial
hunting of belugas has ended throughout the world, except
in the former Soviet Union.
MATING AND BREEDING: Most belugas mate in the spring,
and the calves are born the following summer after being carried
by the mothers for 14 months. When born, calves are about
five feet (1.5 m) long. They usually nurse from one to two
years (they get teeth at one year, at which time they are
able to eat other food).
STATUS:
Belugas now face many dangers. Dams, pipelines, dredging,
and tanker traffic force them from their habitat and limit
the places they have left to live. Of even greater concern,
belugas inhabiting the St. Lawrence River have been called
one of the most polluted mammals on earth along with orcas.
Over 24 contaminants have been found in their bodies including
PCBs, DDT, and heavy metals such as mercury. Their PCB levels
are so high that, according to Canadian regulations, their
bodies should be treated as toxic waste upon death. In recent
times, many belugas have been dying of cancer, ulcers, and
weakened immune systems.
Belugas, as well as other marine mammals, are important indicators
of the environmental health of the areas where they live,
and we can be sure that other life, including human beings,
will ultimately be affected by the same pollutants.
May be reprinted for scientific and educational purposes
Revised 1/01
Learn more about the following:
Humpback
Whale
Blue Whale
Orca/Killer
Whale
Gray Whale
Dolphins
and Porpoises
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Beluga
Whale 