Beluga Whale Facts

Beluga Whale Facts
The beluga whale (also known as the white whale) is one of the smallest whales in the cetacean species, which also includes dolphins and porpoises.
These whales are very social marine animals and are often found in the Arctic Ocean’s coastal waters traveling, foraging and socializing in both small and large pods.
They communicate using a series of clicks and whistles and useecholocation to search for food and navigate the ocean.
Physical Characteristics
Beluga whales on average weigh between 2,000 – 3,500 pounds and grow to an average 10 - 15 ft. long when they are fully matured.
Female beluga whales generally grow to be slightly smaller than their male counterparts.
The beluga has a rounded dome-shaped head.
Unlike other whales the beluga lacks a dorsal fin, butinstead has a ridge where the dorsal fin would normally be located.
At birth they are born with either dark grey or brownish skin which fades to a white color as they reach maturity.
They also have more flexibility in their necks as compared to most other species of whale allowing them to observe more of their environment.
Diet
Beluga whales live on a diet of fish, crustaceans (such as krill), squid,octopus, crabs, sand worms and other small prey.
They consume on average between 2 % – 3 % of their bodyweight on a daily basis.
When foraging they often hunt for their food at or near the bottom of shallow coastal shores and will hunt cooperatively in pods of 5 or more whales by herding their prey together into tight balls and then attacking it.
Despite being a toothed whale they don’t chew theirfood, they swallow it whole.
Habitat
Beluga whales are often found swimming in shallow coastal water in the arctic.
They can be seen traveling in pods of several hundred at certain times and when migrating numbers can reach the thousands.
Depending on the area and environment some beluga whales will make seasonal migration trips while others will only travel within a small localized area.
Theycan navigate through the arctic at temperatures as low as 0-c (-32 f).
During the colder months as the arctic water freezes over most beluga whales will migrate south to avoid getting trapped in the frozen ice.
Social Structure
Beluga whales are very social and create high-pitched twitter noises used to communicate.
Although they mostly travel in pods they often separate from one pod and move toanother not staying locked down to any one group of whales.
Pods can range anywhere from 5 – 100 or more during feeding and expand into the thousands during migration periods.
Breeding
The gestation period (the period between conception and birth) for the beluga lasts between 12 -15 months.
Females give birth to a single calf once every 3 years on average.
Newborns are often born just under three ft.and can remain nursed by their mothers for up to two years.
Beluga whales mature between the ages of 4 – 9 and can live up to be 50 years old.






Datos de Beluga Whale
La ballena beluga (también conocido como la ballena blanca ) es una de las ballenas más pequeñas de la especie de los cetáceos , que también incluye a los delfines y las marsopas .
Estas ballenas son animales marinos muysociables ya menudo se encuentran en las aguas costeras del océano Ártico viajan , forrajeo y la socialización en ambas vainas grandes y pequeños.
Se comunican mediante una serie de chasquidos y silbidos y usan la ecolocalización para buscar comida y navegar por el océano.
Características físicas
Ballenas beluga en promedio pesan entre 2,000 - £ 3500 y crecen a un promedio de 10 - 15 pies de largo cuandoestán completamente maduros .
Ballenas beluga hembra generalmente crecen a ser un poco más pequeño que sus contrapartes masculinas .
La beluga tiene una cabeza en forma de cúpula redondeada.
A diferencia de otras ballenas beluga carece de una aleta dorsal , sino que tiene una cresta donde normalmente se encuentra la aleta dorsal.
En el nacimiento de su nacimiento , ya sea de color gris oscuro o...