Beluga whale: Beluga

Beluga, a small, toothed whale found mainly in the coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas but also in rivers and deep offshore waters. It is an extremely vocal cetacean and thus has also been referred to as the ‘canary of the sea.’ Learn about beluga whales, the white whales that live in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. Discover their social, smart and echolocating abilities, and how they are vulnerable to climate change and noise pollution. Beluga whales are highly social creatures that play and even make friends. Learn more about the famous white whale and the threats it faces today. A brief overview of beluga whales Belugas, also known as white whales or “canaries of the sea,” is a species of toothed cetaceans belonging to the Monodontidae family. They can be found in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters around the world, though their distribution is greatly affected by sea ice levels. Beluga whales have a distinctively white coloring, rounded bodies, and a melon-shaped forehead that helps them produce echolocation clicks. They are highly social creatures that form large ...