The beluga whale is known in science as Delphinapterus leucas, meaning the “white one”, alluding to its body color. It is a POLAR species, and calls the ARCTIC Ocean home. It is found in shallow coastal waters, but migrate to deep, offshore waters when the ice freezes over during the winter (Jefferson et al., 1993). It also enters estuaries and rivers during spring and summer to feed and take care of its calf. It feeds on various species of fish like cod and salmon, a wide variety of mollusks and benthic invertebrates like shrimps, crabs and octopuses (Kastelein et al., 1994). As a social animal it is extremely vocal, producing whistles, chirps, clicks and squeals, which gave it the title of “sea canary”, because it has the best singing voice in the whale world (Friedman, 2006). Belugas form pods consisting either of only males, or of only females and their young (IUCN, 2009).
Like most whale species, the beluga is “Near threatened” (IUCN Red List, 2008). The following may explain why this is so:
