Origin
The white whale or beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) is a species of whale widespread in the Arctic Ocean and the seas. In the past it was hunted for fat, skin and meat.
The white whale lives in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters along the coasts of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Norway and Russia. About 500 specimens are found in the waters of the Saint Lawrence River.
The habitat of Beluga whales includes canals, bays and the surface layer of the Arctic seas, which is warmed by the sun. during the summer they can also be found at river mouths, where they feed, socialise and breed. These waters usually have 8o-10oC.
White whale food
It feeds on fish, cephalopods and crustaceans. It lives in groups numbering 5-10 individuals.
An adult consumes about 25 kg of food a day – perhaps even more.
Features white whale
The name "white whale" comes from the color it acquires at the age of 4-5 years, when the beluga becomes white or cream. Pups are dark blue or gray at birth. The anterior part of the head is rounded, and the mouth is provided with teeth. It has no dorsal fins.
The White Whale measures from three to five meters long and has an average weight of 1.6 tons. 50% of their weight is fat, significantly more than in non-Arctic whales, whose body is only 20% fat.
The layer is 10 centimeters thick. Males are slightly larger than females. They have an average weight of 1350 kilograms, and males 1500 kilograms.
She was hunted for fat, skin and flesh. The natural enemies are killer whales and polar bears – which especially attack Cubs. Man has hunted the white whale for hundreds of years, but today – supposedly – it is still hunted by only a few Arctic tribes.
Scientists say the area of the Solovetsky Islands, in the White Sea, where white whales gather every year, is the only place in the world where they can be observed from a very short distance to see their backs glow in the dark waters when they play in small groups.
Breeding white whale
The life span of females is 32 years, and of males about 40 years.
Belugas tend to" collegialize " from late February to early April.
Gestation lasts 14-15 months and the female gives birth to a single cub (cases of twins are very-very rare); in the first 10 seconds of life the cub swims to the surface, helped by the mother, for its first breath. It is 4-5 meters long and 45-64 kg in weight.
Puppies are breastfed until about 12-24 months of age. The bond between mother and baby is very strong.
In the first year of life the skin color varies from blue to red-brown, in the second year of life to gray-blue until the age of 6 years when melanin gradually disappears and the skin becomes white or cream. They reach maturity around 7-9 years.
