Beluga whale

Size Adults average 3 m (9.8ft) in length. Males average 3.4–4.6 m (11.2–15.1 ft) and weigh about 1,500 kg (3,307 lbs.). Females average 3–4 m (9.8–13.1 ft) and weigh about 1,360 kg (2,998 lbs.). Beluga whales reach full size at about 10 years. Body Shape A beluga whale's body is fusiform, but robust and stocky. It may have thick folds of blubber, especially along its ventral surface. Beluga whales are robust and stocky with thick folds of blubber. Pectoral Flippers A beluga whale's forelimbs are pectoral flippers. Pectoral flippers have the major skeletal elements of the forelimbs of land mammals, but they're shortened and modified. The skeletal elements are rigidly supported by connective tissue. Thick cartilage pads lie lengthwise between the bones of each digit. Connective tissue lies between the digits. The pectoral flippers are small in proportion to the body. They're rounded, paddle-like, and slightly upcurled at the tips. Beluga whales use their pectoral flippers mainly to steer and, with the help of the flukes, to stop. Flukes Each lobe of the tail is called a fluke. A deep median notch separates the two flukes. Flukes are flattened pads of tough, dense, fibrous connective tissue - completely without bone. The flukes of beluga whales are distinctly curved along the trailing edges. Longitudinal muscles of the back (both above and below the spine) and caudal peduncle move the flukes up and down. Like the arteries of the flippers, the arteries of the flukes are surro...

Beluga Whale Profile The frigid waters of the Antarc are home to many weird and wonderful animals, not least the smiling, hornless cousin of the Arctic Narwhal. This may well be the happiest-looking member of the cetacean order: the beluga whale. Beluga Whale Facts Overview Habitat: Cold oceans and seas, sometimes estuaries and rivers Location: Cold waters, Northern hemisphere Lifespan: At least 80 years Size: > 6.1m Weight: 2,000-3,000 lb (900-1,400 kg) Color: Grey at birth, maturing to bright white Diet: Fish, shellfish, octopus Predators: Killer Whales, Polar Bears, humans Top Speed: 27 kph (17 mph) No. of Species: 1 Conservation Status: Least Concern (IUCN), endangered in some local populations (NOAA) This charming, brilliant white, bubble-headed whale has a perpetual grin. Possibly because despite humans’ best efforts, their global populations seem to be doing relatively well. The majority of belugas live in the Arctic Ocean and areas around Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia and Russia. Their population is thought to be around 200,000 in total worldwide. They are sometimes known as the white whale for obvious reasons, as well as the ‘sea canary’ due to its high pitched calls, and melonhead, due to its, erm, melon-shaped head. Beluga whales are stocky in appearance, with a large percentage of it’s body blubber (fat). They can grow up to 6m (20 ft) in length and weigh as much as 1,600 kg (3,500 lbs). They are highly social creatures, live in pods and hunt together....

Beluga whales are related to the delphinos, combined with apteron, leucas is derived from the Greek leukos, meaning “white.” The common name, sometimes spelled belukha, is derived from the Russian belyi, again meaning “white.” Beluga is also a common name for the unrelated great white This article was most recently revised and updated by

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The beluga whale is easily recognizable thanks to its stark white coloring and globular head. Belugas are very social animals, and it’s possible to see pods numbering in the hundreds during a trip to 10. Also known as "sea canaries," belugas are one of the most the most vocal of all whales. 9. The beluga is closely related to the narwhal; they are the only two members of the Monodontidae family. 8. Beluga whales' dives may last up to 25 minutes and can reach depths of 800 meters. 7. The word beluga comes from the Russian word "bielo" meaning white. However, these white whales are born dark gray. It can take up to eight years before they turn completely white. 6. The beluga is able to swim backwards. 5. The beluga can change the shape of its bulbous forehead, called a "melon", by blowing air around its sinuses. 4. In 2009, a captive beluga whale rescued a distressed participant of a free diving competition by pushing her to the surface. 3. Belugas, like other arctic whales, do not have dorsal fins (a dorsal fin causes extra heat loss and would be a major hindrance in the arctic ice), but they do have a tough dorsal ridge. They also have a thick layer of blubber that insulates them from the icy arctic waters. 2. The vertebrae in a beluga’s neck is not fused together, giving it the unusual ability to turn its head up, down and side-to-side. 1. Threats to beluga whales include climate change, hunting, oil and gas development, and industrial and urban pollution. Polar bears and...