Beluga Whale

Beluga Whale

Scientific Name Delphinapterus leucas

Classification – Delphinapterus

Gender Names – Male – Whale; Female – Cow; Baby – Calf

Collective Noun – Pod or gam

Length/Size – 11 to 18 ft

Weight – 1,100 and 1,600 kg

Top Speed – 22 kph (13.6 mph)

Life Expectancy – 35-50 years; 70 – 80 years in captivity

Mating Season  March to May

Pregnancy – 13 months

Special Features  Can emit high-pitched twitters

Family Unit – Live in groups called pods, with each pod consisting of 2 to 25 heads (average 10) including both males and females; females with offspring often form independent pods during calving season

Geographical Distribution – Lives in a discontinuous distribution in the Arctic and the sub-Arctic waters

Natural Habitat – Commonly seen in shallow waters close to the coast

World Population – 150,000 approx.

Conservation Status – Near Threatened

Diet – Octopus, squid, crabs, snails, sandworms, fishes

Predators – Polar bears, Killer whales