guardians of the sea: beluga whales

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· Belugas trapped in icy Arctic waters
You are watching beluga whales that live at the Vancouver Aquarium, a marine science centre that connects people to our natural world and inspires them to take action through our conservation, research and education programs. Belugas are found in the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of the world. The southernmost population lives in Canada’s St. Lawrence River estuary. They are often hard to see due to inaccessible or murky habitats.

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  • location: vancouver

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guardians of the sea: beluga whales

You are watching beluga whales that live at the Vancouver Aquarium, a marine science centre that connects people to our natural world and inspires them to take action through our conservation, research and education programs. Belugas are found in the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of the world. The southernmost population lives in Canada’s St. Lawrence River estuary. They are often hard to see due to inaccessible or murky habitats.

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location: Vancouver, BC

best viewing hours: 6:00am - 8:00pm

time zone: Pacific Time

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did you know?

Belugas live in the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of the world.

did you know?

The southernmost beluga population inhabits the St. Lawrence River estuary of Canada. It is a remnant population, separated from other belugas during the last Ice Age.

did you know?

Most groups of belugas move from the open ocean to coastal areas in response to the seasonal freezing and thawing of sea ice.

did you know?

Belugas often enter rivers and estuaries where the water temperature is higher and the salinity is lower than that of the ocean. These conditions trigger a molt of the top layers of a beluga’s skin.

did you know?

In the summer, thousands of belugas gather in estuaries to form nursing groups of females and calves.

did you know?

Sound is an effective means of communication for belugas as it travels long distances through water. Belugas produce a wide range including clicks, chirps, grunts, squeals, screeches and whistles.

did you know?

Belugas make such an array of sounds that nineteenth century sailors and explorers of the high Arctic named them “sea canaries.”

did you know?

Vancouver Aquarium research has found that baby belugas aren’t born with all their sounds—they have to learn them from their social group, just like baby humans.

did you know?

Belugas have an insulating layer of blubber that is usually 10-15 cm thick, varying with the season and the water temperature.

did you know?

Calves are born with only 2.5 cm of blubber, but they gain weight quickly while nursing on rich milk which ranges in fat content from 15-40 %.

did you know?

Calves are a brownish-grey colour when born and turn slate grey within a few weeks. As belugas age, their skin loses pigment cells which causes it to whiten. Only the rims of their pectoral flippers and tail flukes retain their original grey.

did you know?

Killer whales, polar bears and Greenland sharks eat belugas.

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Predators such as killer whales, with their tall dorsal fins, usually don’t follow belugas beneath the ice pack. But the ice can also serve to trap Belugas underwater.

did you know?

Belugas eat capelin, young salmon, arctic cod, herring, smelt, flounder, shrimp, snails, crabs and worms. They will forage for food on the underside of sea ice, on the ocean floor and throughout the water column (usually up to 1000 meters).

did you know?

Belugas use sound to find their food and emit clicks from their nasal passages. Belugas listen for the echoes of these clicks to determine where their food is located.

did you know?

Of seven Canadian beluga populations, six are either at risk, threatened, or endangered. The main human threats faced by belugas are hunting and contaminants.

did you know?

Male belugas reach sexual maturity at seven to nine years; females at about five years.

did you know?

Beluga gestation is 14-16 months.

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Beluga calves are weaned at 20-24 months.

did you know?

Belugas calf on average every three years, in the late spring and early summer.

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Male belugas are 4-5 meters long; females are 3-4 meters; calves are about 1.5 meters.

did you know?

Beluga males weigh about 3,300 lbs; females are about 2,000 lbs; calves are about 115-150 lbs.

did you know?

Belugas have an excellent sense of hearing; their ability to echolocate appears to be even better than that of a bottlenose dolphin!

did you know?

As much as 40 percent of a beluga’s body weight is blubber.

did you know?

A beluga can nod and turn its head because, unlike most whales, its seven neck vertebrae are not fused.

did you know?

Belugas play with food, driftwood and air bubbles.

did you know?

Belugas can dive to at least 800 meters.
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Related Links · Questions & Answers
· Belugas trapped in icy Arctic waters
You are watching beluga whales that live at the Vancouver Aquarium, a marine science centre that connects people to our natural world and inspires them to take action through our conservation, research and education programs. Belugas are found in the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of the world. The southernmost population lives in Canada’s St. Lawrence River estuary. They are often hard to see due to inaccessible or murky habitats.

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