Female beluga whales reach sexual maturity around five to seven years of age, while males take a little longer and reach their maturity around eight to nine years of age. Once they reach maturity, they may not engage in breeding behavior for several years until they reach a size that makes them competitive among other fully-grown males.
Female beluga whales give birth to live calves and have one at a time, usually every two to four years. Beluga calves weigh between and pounds at birth and they are immediately able to swim! Unlike some fish and invertebrate species, beluga moms play a role in caring for their calf and is a large social component of their life. When they get their teeth, at 12 to 18 months, calves will start eating small sea creatures. Scientists are unsure of how long beluga whales live.
Some think they may live 35 to 50 years. Others believe they live 60 to 70 years based on how many teeth they lose per year, according to the NOAA. The population worldwide is more than , and their population is well distributed in most places. However, they are hunted by indigenous people in the Arctic and by commercial fisheries.
This has led to population declines in those areas, such as West Greenland, where surveys found that beluga numbers had decreased by 62 percent between and The population in Cook Inlet in Alaska is protected by the U. Endangered Species Act. The NOAA estimates that this isolated group has been severely reduced over the past several decades, from as many as 1, individuals in the s to about in Live Science. Beluga whales' dives can go as deep as meters and may be for up to 25 minutes.
The word "beluga" is from the Russian "bielo" meaning "white". Belugas can swim backwards. Belugas can alter the shape of their forehead, known as a "melon", by means of blowing air around their sinuses. References 1. Included in Lists Mammals of United States.
Mammals of United Kingdom. Mammals of Iceland. Mammals of France. Related Animals Narwhal. Common Bottlenose Dolphin. Australian Snubfin Dolphin. Long-Beaked Common Dolphin. Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin. Irrawaddy Dolphin. Short-Beaked Common Dolphin. Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin.
Nile Crocodile. Ring-Tailed Lemur. We have a total of 95 cruises. English German Dutch Spanish. My profile Travel Agent. Helena Visited places on St. All highlights. Home Highlights Beluga Whale. Beluga Whale The good-natured grin of these dolphin relatives is matched only by their high-frequency sounds, from which they derive the nickname "sea canaries" Beluga Whale cruises.
Region: Arctic Destinations: Greenland, Svalbard. Name : Beluga Whale Delphinapterus leucas Length : 3. How social are Beluga Whales? How fast can Beluga Whales swim? How long can they stay underwater? What are Beluga Whales mating rituals like? How long do Beluga Whales live? How many Beluga Whales are there today? Do Belugas have any predators?
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