| GENERAL
DESCRIPTION |
The beluga whale is a small, toothed whale that is white
as an adult. The beluga's body is stout and has a small,
blunt head with a small beak, tiny eyes, thick layers of
blubber,
and a rounded melon. They have one blowhole.
Beluga means "white one" in Russian. Its genus,
Delphinapterus, means "whale without fins",
and the species, leucas, means white. The beluga is
also called the white whale, the white porpoise, the sea
canary (because of its songs), and the squid hound (due
to its diet). Unlike most other cetaceans, the beluga's
seven neck vertebrae are not fused, giving it a flexible,
well-defined neck.
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| REPRODUCTION |
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The gestation period of the beluga is about 14-15
months and the calf is born tail or head first
and near the surface in warm, shallow waters.
They breed in warm, shallow waters or estuaries (where
rivers meet seas).
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The newborn instinctively swims to the surface
within 10 seconds for its first breath; it is helped by its
mother, using her flippers.The newborn calf is about 4-5 feet
(1.2-1.5 m) long and weighs over 100-140 lbs (45-64 kg). Single
births are the norm; twins are very rare. Calves are not white
like the adults; they are blue to brownish-red for the first
year of life. During the second year they are gray to blue.
Their pigment (melanin) fades slowly, and by 6 years old,
they are white. The baby is nurtured with its mother's fat-laden
milk (it is 28% fat) and is weaned in about 12-24 months.
Beluga whales reach maturity at 7-9 years. |
| VOCALIZATION |
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Belugas are also known as "sea canaries" because
of their songs and chatter, which can even be heard above
the water. Belugas use echolocation to locate their bottom-dwelling
prey, to find breathing holes in the Arctic ice sheet, and
to navigate in deep, dark waters. Their songs are also used
in communication with other belugas. Belugas produce many
different sounds, ranging from clicks, squeals, whistles,
etc. The fatty melon of the beluga changes shape as the
beluga makes sounds.
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Ptotection:Urgent |
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Clasification |
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Name |
Delphinapterus
leucas |
Distribution
Area |
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