by Kim Sharpe

Created on: November 18, 2008   Last Updated: January 08, 2009

The Beluga Whale is the white ghost of the Arctic waters, where it swims with its close cousin the Narwhal, and where it often migrates with the Bowhead Whale. In the icy waters, it lives in pods that consist of approximately 10 plus of the species. These pods are mostly made up of related whales. In this group they will congregate twenty four hours a day socializing, hunting, and migrating for a lifetime.

Beluga's are small whales. They normally only reach 15 feet in length and their weight will rarely top 3000 pounds. Males tend to be smaller in size then females.

Once a yea,r the Beluga will molt its lovely white skin. The skin of its body will take on a yellowish tinge. At this time it becomes quite itchy to the whale, forcing it to rub vigorously against gravel and sand in the seabed. It is quickly shed off and a new layer of white skin is revealed. Only as adults do the Beluga showcase their snow skin. They sport no dorsal fin for ease of swimming under ice. There lack of this fin is why it is often called Delphinapterus which translates, 'whale without fins'.

The Beluga is often called the 'Sea Canary' because when the communicate, it sounds like a beautiful song even above the water. They click, squeal, and whistle in a cacophony.

Like all whales, the Beluga is an air breather. It must surface within fifteen minutes to take a breath of fresh air. The air hole is normally about three feet in the relaxed closed position.

Calves are born a bluish grey, or even a reddish, which will not turn white until six years of age. The babies are born after a gestation period of approximately 15 months. The mother whale will normally only give birth to one baby, but on occasion twins will be born. The baby whale will stay beside its mother as a juvenile for 9 years. And once they reach adulthood they will normally remain with their mother in their pod. Beluga's mate only once every twenty years or so.

The Beluga lives to be close to fifty years of age. Currently it is estimated that there are between 40,000 and 80,000 in the world today. They are classified as endangered in various parts of the world. Unfortunately these whales are still hunted today by the commercial fisherman and native people.

The few people in this world who are lucky enough to look into a Beluga's face are moved for life. This whale shows extreme expressions. It has flexible blubber around its face, which allows the whale to change expressions easily, which helps it reflect its mood.

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