Beluga Whale

The English name comes from the Russian белу́га (belúga), which derives from the word белый (bélyj/bélyy), meaning "white". Nowadays the word белу́га (belúga) in Russian refers to the beluga sturgeon.

• Singular: beluga

• Plural: belugas

The beluga is uniquely adapted for existence in the Arctic thanks to its unique anatomical and physiological traits that set it apart from other cetaceans. These include the fact that it is entirely white and doesn't have a dorsal fin, which enables it to swim easily under ice. The echolocation organ known as the melon, which is large and deformable in this species, is housed in a recognizable protuberance on the front of its head. Beluga is one of the smallest species of whale in the family Monodontidae.

Because it is entirely white or whitish-grey in color, adult beluga whales are rarely confused for any other species. Calves are typically born grey and turn dark gray or blue gray within a month of birth. At the ages of seven years for females and nine years for males, they then begin to gradually lose their pigmentation until they reach their distinctive white coloration. To protect themselves from their main predators, polar bears and killer whales, belugas' white skin color is an adaptation to life in the Arctic that enables them to blend in with the polar ice caps.

Beluga whales employ highly developed echolocation for social communication, fish hunting, and ice navigation. Because of their vocal abilities, beluga whales are referred to as "canaries of the sea" due to their diverse spectrum of whistles, chirps, clicks, and mimicked sounds. Beluga whales use sound to find thin ice and tiny breathing holes.

The swimming style is smooth and agile, allowing them to traverse shallow estuaries and sea ice. The average speed is 5 to 8 km/h, although they may sprint up to about 20 km/h. The beluga whale can dive as deep as 400–700 meters and can remain underwater for up to 20 minutes.

In captivity, all belugas are able to imitate human speech in a range several octaves lower than that of typical whale calls. A beluga has been heard to sound human before, and in the wild, they frequently make childlike noises.

Beluga whales are extremely social mammals that migrate, live, and hunt in groups of a few whales to hundreds of whales. Although they can congregate in the hundreds or even thousands in estuaries and shallow coastal areas during the summer, beluga whales are gregarious and typically form groups of ten animals. Although they're slow swimmers, they can dive to a depth of 700 meters (2,300 feet). They are opportunistic feeders, and the season and location of their habitat determine what they eat.

The Arctic Ocean, as well as the seas and coasts surrounding North America, Russia, and Greenland, are where beluga whales spend the majority of their lives. It is estimated that there are about 200,000 belugas worldwide. Most of their migratory groups spend the winter close to the Arctic ice cap; during the summer, when the sea ice melts, they move to warmer river estuaries and coastal regions. Some populations are stationary throughout the year and do not travel long distances.

For example, when they are in the Beaufort Sea, they mainly eat Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), and the stomachs of belugas caught near Greenland were found to contain rose fish (Sebastes marinus), Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides), and northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis), while in Alaska, their staple diet is Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). In general, the diets of these cetaceans consist mainly of fish; apart from those previously mentioned, other fish they feed on include capelin (Mallotus villosus), smelt, sole, flounder, herring, sculpin, and other types of salmon. They also consume a great quantity of invertebrates, such as shrimp, squid, crabs, clams, octopus, sea snails, bristle worms, and other deep-sea species. Belugas feed mainly in winter, as their blubber is thickest in late winter and early spring and thinnest in the fall. Inuit observation has led scientists to believe that belugas do not hunt during migration, at least in Hudson Bay.

Reproduction

• Breeding season: Late winter to early spring.

• Gestation: ~14–15 months.

• Birth: Usually one calf; calves are 1.5 m long.

• Nursing: Calves nurse for 18–24 months but stay with mothers for years.

• Maturity: Sexual maturity at ~6–9 years (females earlier than males).

• Social structure: Females with calves form nurseries.

During migrations or molting, beluga whales can congregate in groups of hundreds, but they typically form pods of five to twenty. During summer excursions to estuaries, Belugas touch riverbed stones to exfoliate aged skin. Many populations migrate seasonally between warmer, shallower estuaries in the summer and offshore winter locations. Their highly sophisticated vocal communication was utilized for mother-calf bonding, coordination, and ice environment navigation.

Beluga whales are frequently inquisitive and kind to people; some have come up to boats or engaged in lighthearted interactions with divers. Indigenous Arctic peoples have historically coexisted with belugas for subsistence while maintaining a high level of cultural respect. Although captivity might affect behavior and health, these whales adapt socially in captivity.

Threats

• Climate change: Loss of sea ice affects migratory routes, predation risk, and prey availability.

• Pollution: Accumulation of heavy metals and PCBs in Arctic waters affects immune and reproductive health.

• Ship strikes & noise pollution: Disrupts communication and navigation; can cause stress or injury.

• Entanglement: Nets and fishing gear.

• Predation: Increasing orca presence in ice-free waters.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation Efforts

• Habitat protection.

• Anti-poaching enforcement.

• Awareness campaigns against illegal pet trade.

The beluga inhabits a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. During the summer, they can mainly be found in deep waters ranging from 76°N to 80°N, particularly along the coasts of Alaska, northern Canada, western Greenland and northern Russia. The southernmost extent of their range includes isolated populations in the St. Lawrence River in the Atlantic, and the Amur River delta, the Shantar Islands and the waters surrounding Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk.

Vagrants may travel further south to areas such as Irish and Scottish waters, the islands of Orkney and Hebrides, and to Japanese waters. Although they are most frequently observed in shallow waters near the coast, belugas are known to spend extended periods of time in deeper water, to feed and give birth to their young.

In the 2600s and 2700s, during The Recollections of Queen Arianna (TROQA) saga, the "Sky People" or Terrans from Earth brought beluga whales to two exoplanets that resembled Earth: Berbania from Ursa Major and Reinachos from Cygnus. Despite the death of our planet, this species is recovering from endangerment or near extinction thanks to conservation initiatives. Human activities for rewilding and game hunting produced this species, but they backfired because the beluga whale became an invasive species. The whale inhabited two exoplanets that were similar to Earth in terms of climate and environment.

• Appendix I: International trade banned and Endangered migratory species

• Movement Pattern: Full Migrant

• Individual Type: Solo, Congregatory, Dispersive, Pod

• Population Trend: Increasing

• Population: 136,000

• Locomotion: Aquatic

• Habitat: Cold Littoral; Cold Intertidal; Neritic Zone (Cold); Pelagic Zone (Cold); Benthic Zone.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (resident): Canada; Greenland; Russian Federation; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; United States (Alaska)

  • Extant & Vagrant: Belgium; Denmark; Faroe Islands; France; Germany; Iceland; Ireland; Japan; Netherlands; Norway; Sweden; United Kingdom; United States (Washington)

• Berbania: worldwide

• Reinachos: worldwide

In Rapunzel's universe, you must abide by two rules in order to tame the animal. The first is to continue giving the narwhal food. The second is to get rid of or divert attention from the nearby animals. Using a swift water mount to maintain your proximity to the narwhal while supplying it with meat, clams, or squid would be beneficial.

The beluga whale was not a suitable pet in our universe. Due to their complex social and cognitive needs, need for large, cold-water habitats, status as protected wildlife under international law, stress, space constraints, and shorter lifespans in captivity. In almost every country, it is forbidden for individuals to possess whales. Because of welfare problems, they continue to be contentious even in professional aquariums.

Bereshit - 300,000-70,000 BCE

Eostre altered the beluga whale as part of Project Pashneia, a long-ago scientific initiated by "Deities" to create or modify all species, including humans and existing animals as she make own plans. Deep within the narwhal brain, the Aurorium neurotransmitters were a system of receptors designed specifically to respond to specific Pieces of Eden made of adamantium. These receptors were responsible for affecting emotions, thoughts, behavior, and the addition or enhancement of supernatural abilities.

• Coming soon

See also: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IasZTAQl9rEIbA8yacrkxb3POz7zS5vh

• Coming soon

Earth

• Ilocano: Beluga

• Hawaiian: Pelo'uka

• Maori: Wheruka (白鯨), Tohorā mā (鯨白)

• Navajo: Tééh hóyáaniitsoh łigaaígíí

• Greenlandic: Qilalugaq qaqortaq

• Mandarin: 白鲸 (Bái jīng)

• Arabic: الحوت الأبيض (alhawt al'abyad)

• Hebrew: לבנתן לבן (lavantán-laván)

• Japanese: シロイルカ (Shiroiruka)

• Korean: 벨루가 고래 (belluga gorae)

• Hungarian: Beluga bálna, Maidoválasz

• Livvi-Karelian: Maidovalas

• Finnish: Maitovalas

• Northern Sami: Vilgesguolli

• Greek: φάλαινα μπελούγκα (fálaina beloúnka)

• Polish: Wieloryb bieługa

• Breton: Belouga

• Welsh: Morfil belwga, Belwga

• Scottish Gaelic: Muc-mhara beluga

• Romanian: Balenă beluga

• Italian: Balena beluga

• Catalan: Balena beluga

• French: Béluga

• Spanish: Ballena beluga

• Portuguese: Baleia beluga

• Dutch: Beluga walvis

• Afrikaans: Beluga walvis

• German: Narwal

• English: Beluga whale, beluga, white whale (Official trade name)

• Danish: Hvidhval

• Swedish: Vitval

• Norwegian: Hvithval

• Icelandic: Hvíthvalur

• Inupiaq: Sisuaq, qiḷalugaq

• Cree: ᐧᐋᐸᒣᒄ (wâpamekw)

• Guarani: Ballena-morotĩ

• Aymara: Janq’u ballena

• Quechua: Yuraq ballina

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beluga_whale

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6335/50352346

• https://www.travelmanitoba.com/blog/14-fascinating-facts-about-beluga-whales/

• https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/beluga

• https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Delphinapterus-leucas.html

• https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/beluga-whale

• https://quotestats.com/topic/beluga-quotes/

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Beluga-Whale-880654269