Fun Facts for Kids About Beluga Whales
Beluga whales are easily identified by their white color and their large, bulbous heads. Like all whales, A Beluga breathes oxygen through a blow hole on its back. Adults tend to be 18 feet long and weigh approximately 3,000 lbs. Belugas live almost exclusively in the cold water of the Arctic Ocean.
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Eating Habits
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Beluga whales are meat eaters and have a diverse diet that includes cod, snails, octopus and crab. They use echolocation to find their food. They send sound waves out from their forehead that will "echo" back to tell them how far away a target is. They will pursue food on dives for an average of five minutes, though they can stay underwater for up to 20 minutes. Once they've found a meal, Belugas can suck food into their mouths, a trait only shared with the Irrawaddy dolphin.
Life Cycle
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Belugas give birth to one calf every two to three years or so, and mothers carry their babies for about a year. Babies average 150 lbs and are born dark brown or black in color. In the wild, calves spend the first two years of life with their mothers and their skin become white by the time they reach adulthood. Belugas become adults at age 6 and most live to be 30 to 40.
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Social Animals
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In the 1990s, Belugas were thought to number 62,000 to 80,000 worldwide. Belugas travel in pods ranging from 10 to 15 whales. The pods are usually divided into groups of cows and calves (mothers and children) and bulls (adult males.) The bonds between mother and calf are quite strong. In mating season, Belugas can form groups that can number into the thousands. It's the only time the bulls congregate with the cows and calves. Belugas are often called "canaries of the sea" since they communicate with a wide range of vocalizations. Their sounds are called "whistles," "belches" and "squeaks."
Threats
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Belugas must look out for Orcas, humans and polar bears, who hunt them for food. Polar bears can catch them when Belugas come up for air in ice-packed areas. Humans use their blubber for products like margarine and soap and their bones for fertilizer. The fat from their bulbous head is used for a high-quality lubricant. Hunting nearly wiped out the entire population of Belugas in the Cook Inlet of Alaska. They are also vulnerable to chemical contaminants.
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References
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