The Beluga Whale or White Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) lives in the arctic and subarctic regions. It gets its name from the Russian word 'beloye' which means 'white'. The Beluga is also called 'sea canary', because of its high pitch sounds it produces. They feed mainly on fish, but their diet also contains crab or squid. It is estimated that the world population of belugas is around 100,000 individuals, although it is declining. Through history, belugas have been an easy prey for hunting by humans, because of their predictable migration.
Keywords: white
The Beluga, white whale is listed as Vulnerable (VU), considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Some facts about the
Beluga
Adult weight : 1430 kg (3146 lbs)
Maximum longevity : 40 years
Female maturity :1644 days
Male maturity : 2283 days
Gestation : 416 days
Weaning : 679 days
Litter size : 1
Interval between litters : 1004 days
Weight at birth : 66 kg (145.2 lbs)
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