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Angelina Abdelrahman

Beluga Whales; Animals of The Arctic

Updated: Mar 13, 2021


Constantine Alexander Journal “Arctic sea Ice loss impacts beluga whale migration”


What is a Beluga Whale?

If you have ever been to Sea World in San Antonio, you recognize these amazing creatures! These animals are very social and travel together in pods. Delphinapterus Leucas is their scientific name! All the clicks, chirps, and sounds that Beluga whales make gave them the nickname, “the canary of the sea”! These clicks and sounds may sound like an entirely different language to humans, but that is how they communicate with each other!


What do Beluga Whales eat?

Beluga whales are at the top of the food chain. They are also carnivores! Which states that they only eat meat! But they aren’t picky eaters, they eat snails, salmon, echelon, crabs, shrimp, clams, octopus, squid, mussels, sandworms, cod, and flounder. Which comes up to about 50 to 60 pounds of food every day! All of their food is swallowed; they never chew it. Then why do they have teeth? Their teeth are used for grabbing and holding their prey. Echolocation is what they rely on to hunt prey. Echolocation is the Beluga Whales' ability to locate food by creating sounds to their pods!









Trek Nature “Beluga Whale”


How do Beluga Whales Behave?

Beluga Whales are very social animals! Each summer they return to their birth areas to hunt and breed. Their groups or pods can range from 2 beluga whales to 1 thousand beluga whales! Individuals may also move between these populations and pods. Unlike Killer Whales, they don’t have a very strong connection with their pods!










Smithsonian Magazine “Why do Beluga Whales Blow Bubbles”


Where Do Beluga Whales Live?

As I have mentioned in the title Beluga Whales live in the Arctic just like Polar Bears! The Arctic is nearby the Northern Hemisphere. Common regions that they are familiar with are Alaska, Russia, Canada, and Greenland. In the Summer they love to be in very shallow waters. In other seasons they love to be in deeper waters. During that time they dive to 1,000 meters. They spend about 25 minutes underwater. Ice floes in the arctic and subarctic waters are where they like to swim.









Awesome Ocean “Beluga Whales Amazing Survival Technique”


What are some characteristics of the Beluga Whale?

The Beluga Whales forehead (called a “melon”) is very flexible and able to change shape! This also allows them to make different facial expressions! Even though these creatures are big they are the smallest species of whales! Males range from 13 to 20 feet and weigh 2,000 to 3,000 pounds. Females are just a tiny bit smaller weighing only up to 2,998 pounds. 40 % of the white whale's body is blubber helping them stay warm! Even though they are smaller than an average whale they have thick muscular bodies. They have a small beck and have narrower necks than other whales. Interestingly enough they have something other whales don’t, since their neck vertebrae are not fused they can to move their heads up and down and side to side! Unlike killer whales they don’t have back dorsal fins, this allows them to swim under ice easily. Their population size is over 150,000 whales.







Dino animals.com “Beluga Whale- White Whale”


What do the Beluga Whales Offspring look like?

Beluga Whales' offspring are called calves. They are born gray but will turn white as they grow older! They are about 4 to 6 feet long and weigh 110 to 130 pounds! Around 12 to 18 months calves will get their teeth and are then able to start eating small creatures. Female calves become mature around 4 to 7 years and males 7 to 9 years.











Live Science “Facts about Beluga Whales”



Live Science “Facts about Beluga Whales”




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