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Beluga Whales are toothed whales.
Beluga Whale Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Family: Monodontidae
Genus: Delphinapterus
Species: Leucas
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Other Names: White Whale, Sea Canary,
Belukha, White Porpoise and White Squidhound
Beluga Whale in Foreign Languages:
Bulgarian: Beluga
Mandarin: Baijing / Beiluka Jing
Danish: Hvidhval
Dutch: Beloega
Estonian: Valgevaal
Finnish: Maitovalas / Beluga
French: Beluga/ Belouga
German: Weibwal / Beluga
Greenlandic: Qilalugaq Qaqortaq
Hungarian: Beluga / Feher Delfin
Japanese: Shiroiruka
Navajo: Teeh Hoyaaniitsoh
Romanian: Beluga
Russian: Beluxa / Beluga
Spanish: Beluga
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Beluga Whale
Conservation Status: Near Threatened
/ Threatened
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Size: Male beluga whales tend to be larger
than the females, the males measure 11.2-15.1 feet
in length and weigh up to 3300 lbs. Female beluga
whales measure 9.8 to 13.1 feet and weigh up to 2900
lbs.
Habitat: Beluga whales are found in arctic
and subarctic waters. Beluga whales are primarily
found off the coasts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland,
and Russia. They prefer the cold shallow coastal waters.
Description: Belugas are often called white
whales, their unusual coloring makes it easy to identify
them from other whales. Beluga whales have rounded
foreheads and they do not have the trademark dorsal
fin, that is common on most whales.
Diet: Beluga whales eat more than 100 different
kinds of sea creatures including: fish, crustaceans,
octopus, squid, crabs, snails and worms. Beluga whales
swallow their food whole.
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Communication: Belugas are very vocal
communicators, they communicate using a series
of clicks, whistles, and clangs. Belugas also
have the unique ability to mimic a variety of
other sounds.
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Did You Know?
Unlike many other whale species Beluga
Whales do not display any aerial acrobatics.
They do not leap or jump out of the
water.
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Gestation: Beluga whales carry their young
for 14 to 15 months.
Birth: Beluga whale calves are 5.2 feet at
birth, and weigh about 176 lbs. Beluga whale calves
are dark gray to bluish or brownish gray at birth,
their hide will lighten up by the age of 6. Beluga
whales are able to swim at birth.
Sexually Mature: Female beluga whales become
sexually mature between the ages of 4-7. Male beluga
whales become sexually mature between 8-9 years of
age. A single male beluga whale will mate with several
females. Female beluga whales give birth to a single
calf every two to three years.
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Life Span: Beluga whales live an average
of 35 to 50 years in the wild. Beluga whales
are preyed on by polar bears and killer whales.
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Did You Know?
Beluga whales will often migrate
with bowhead whales.
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Social Structure: Belugas are very social
creatures, they live in small groups or pods. The
pods can contain anywhere from 2-25 whale, a common
pod average about 10 members. The pod will hunt and
migrate together.
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