Beluga Whales
Delphinapterus leucas
Mackenzie Patrick & Jake Nelson (Croll, P1, 1/11/16)
Beluga Whales Appearance
Belugas have white skin color and a mouth that looks like it's constantly smiling because of its natural upturn. Belugas also have long necks, which contributes to their flexibility and swimming movements. Each lobe of a beluga whale's tail is called a fluke. Flukes of beluga whales are distinctly curved around the trailing edges. When fully grown beluga whales on average weigh between 2,000 – 3,500 pounds and grow to an average length of 10 – 17 ft. long, however, large males may occasionally exceed 18 ft. in length during adulthood.
Diet and Range
Beluga whales eat a variety of things, including fish and crustaceans. A few examples are salmon, smelt, cod, shrimp, crab and mollusks. Overall, Beluga whales eat over a 100 prey species. Beluga whales eat 2.5-3% of their body weight per day. They feed in both shallow and deep water areas in the arctic region. Instead of chewing their food, beluga whales swallow it whole.
Reproduction
Beluga whales breed in March-May, about ten months after calving. Females carry the baby for 12-14 months before giving birth. They breed in small bays and estuaries. A single dominant male may mate with several females. It takes 4-7years for females to sexually mature, however it takes 7-9 years for males. At birth, a beluga whale is born with either dark grey or brownish, but their coloring fades to white as they reach maturity.
Communication
These whales can generally be seen communicating with one another using a series of high-pitched clicks and whistles and like other toothed whales the beluga whale uses echolocation to search for food and navigate the ocean.
Threats to Beluga Whales
Threats to beluga whales include habitat destruction/alteration, increased pollution from oil, marine construction and shipping. These cause underwater noise pollution. Since whales depend on sound to communicate any interference noise pollution can negatively affect their ability to find food and mates. Along with these threats, the blubber of beluga whales is desired by many hunters.