Beluga Whale

    Beluga whales are incredibly sociable and intelligent mammals. These whales usually grow 13 to 16.5 feet long. They usually travel in groups called pods. Each group contains around 2 to 10 individuals. They have a muscular, all-white body, and a rounded head. They are covered in a thick layer of blubber that can account for as much as 40% of their body mass. Their fat is important because it keeps them warm and stores energy. Their average weight is 3000 pounds (1361 kg). 

    Something that makes them different is that they can move their head up and down, and side to side. Belugas are a very local group which makes them known as "canaries of the sea". They communicate through a variety of sounds that they produce while they migrate, hunt, and interact together. As well as humans, belugas can also communicate with facial expressions. Belugas eat octopus, crab, and fish but their main source of food is arctic cod. 

    They have a whole on the top of their head called flexible melon. The flexible melon is used for echolocation. Mating takes place in the spring, with a gestation period of 14-15 months. After this time a calf is born. Calves usually nurse for 12 to 18 months until their teeth emerge. After this, they continue to nurse for another year while supplementing their diet with shrimp and small fish. 

    Whenever a calf is born they're usually dark and already over 100 pounds (45 kg) and 5 feet long. They become lighter in color as they age. It can take some belugas up to 9 years to become completely white. Their estimated life span is 35 to 50 years.