The Beluga Whale Explained

The beluga whale is an Arctic cetacean. Its white color gives the animal its common name.

Adult males grow up to 5.5 m long. Their neck vertebrae are unfused, allowing head turns. Neck vertebrae: nature's swivel chair.

A large frontal bulge called a melon sits on the forehead. It contains fatty tissue.

Belugas gather in groups averaging 10 animals. Summer estuaries attract hundreds or thousands. Summer estuaries get crowded fast.

The worldwide population numbers around 200,000 belugas. Most groups spend winter near the Arctic ice cap.

Fossilised beluga bones were found in Vermont in 1849. Workers unearthed them during railroad construction. Vermont railroad workers prefer softer cargo.

Beluga whale lived longer than any other known beluga.

People call this species the sea canary due to high-pitched calls. Belugas remain one of the most commonly kept cetaceans in captivity.