Beluga Whale Habitat

Beluga whales are among the most common types of whales found in aquariums. They are also known as white whales for their body color and sea canary, for their high-pitched squeaks and whistles. These whales are marine mammals, which are smaller in size, as compared to other whales. They are easily distinguishable with their stark white skin color and prominent foreheads. The young ones of this species have a body color of gray or brown, but, transforms to white, as they become adults.

More About Beluga Whales

Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) are toothed whales that belong to the family Monodontidae. Besides belugas, the only other member of this family is the narwhals. Unlike other toothed whales, belugas are smaller in size. Males are larger in size, as compared to females. While males grow up to a length of around 5.5 meters, females reach a length of around 4 meters. Apart from the white skin color, the prominent forehead is another characteristic feature of this whale. They have a fatty tissue lump at the center of their forehead and this structure is commonly referred to as 'melon'. In case of beluga whales, the melon is conspicuously bulbous and pliable. These whales have the ability to change the shape of their forehead by blowing air into the sinuses. They have around forty teeth. Belugas lack dorsal fin, but, have dorsal ridge, that is believed to be an adaptation for living in their habitat. These whales can turn their heads sidewards, as the vertebrae on the neck are not fused, as in case of other whales. These whales have almost rounded bodies and curved tail fins. The flippers are almost square in shape.

Where Do Beluga Whales Live

Belugas are found in the Arctic and Subarctic regions, along the coasts of coasts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia. These whales inhabit the Arctic ocean and the adjoining seas, like, the Bering Sea, the Beaufort Sea, Baffin Bay, Hudson Bay, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Gulf of Alaska and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. These whales are found to migrate during certain seasons and during such times, they can be seen in some large rivers like Amur of Russia, and the St. Lawrence and Yukon rivers of Canada.

Beluga whale habitat includes areas with icebergs and ice floes, as they like to swim between ice bergs. They can withstand temperatures as low as 0º Celsius. Even though, they love to dive into deep ocean waters, but, are mostly found in the shallow coastal areas. During summers, most of the beluga population can be found in warm water estuaries and river basins. This proves the fact that these whales are adapted to both freshwater and cold marine conditions. It has been observed that seasonal migrations are also common in this species, causing a change in the habitat of the beluga whale.

These amazing marine creatures are losing their habitat, due to global warming and human interference. These whales are also hunted by the indigenous people of the Arctic regions. Even predators like polar bears and killer whales feed on beluga whales. Pollution is another factor that affects the beluga population. They are listed as a 'near threatened' species. A further dip in the beluga population may lead to listing of this amazing marine mammal in the 'threatened' species list.