Beluga

The is Beluga Whale is one of the smallest whales alive. Its white color and its forehead (melon) are very prominent features that make it different from other small whales. When Beluga Whales are born they are gray but soon after birth the gray color fades to white and they become the same color as their mother. Its genus, Delphinapterus, means "whale without fins", and the species, leucas, means white. The beluga's seven neck vertebrae are not fused. This gives it a very movable neck. This is another different feature that defines a Beluga Whale. The Beluga whale can grow up to 15 feet long on average and can weigh up to about 3,300 pounds. Males can grow to be larger than females. The Beluga Whale is part of the Suborder Odontoceti. They are only 1 of 76 different cetacean species. The Beluga Whale is a toothed whale, meaning that it hunts for it's food and has teeth. Beluga Whales have 34 teeth making it a toothed whale. Though the Beluga Whale has teeth, it does not chew the smaller fish and squid that it catches. Instead the Beluga scoops up the smaller ocean fish and swallows its prey whole. The reason that it does this is because its teeth are designed for grabbing and tearing prey instead of chewing. Belugas eat a different diet of fish, squid, crustaceans,octopi and worms. They feed both in the benthic and pelagic zones of the ocean. Belugas often hunt as a group, working together to get their food. Beluga Whales normally give birth to calves in mid-May to July. Birthing happens mostly when herds or pods of other Belugas are near. When the calve is born, it emerges tail first and is pushed to the surface of the ocean for air. This proses is nearly watched by the mother of the calve. Most female's have one calve every three years. The gestation period of a Beluga Whale can be up to 14.5 months. Breeding occurs in March and April. __**Migration and Living**__ Like other whales of the ocean, the Beluga Whale migrates. Most Beluga Whales migrate south in Autumn, when the ice pack advances. Though not all Beluga Whales migrate, some find a home and live there for their lives, only leaving to give birth in warmer waters. Below is a map showing the places in the world that a person would most likely spot a Beluga. Image obtained at: http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/beluga_whale.php# __**Habitat**__ Beluga Whales are mostly found in the waters of waters of circumpolar, primarily arctic regions of the northern hemisphere. They live in the Arctic Ocean and its adjoining seas, including the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska, the Beaufort Sea, Baffin Bay, Hudson Bay, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Belugas are generally found in shallow coastal waters, mostly in water barely deep enough to cover their bodies. They may also go into deeper waters.
 * __ Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) __ **
 * __Classification__ **
 * __Hunting__ **
 * __Birth Patterns__ **

Learn more about this Beluga Whale [|National Geograhic] Photo obtained at:[|http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/beluga-whale]

__**Links**__ http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/species/Beluga.shtml http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/marine/beluga.php http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/beluga_whale.php# http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/beluga/behabitat.html http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/beluga/habitat-&-distribution.htm http://www.uvm.edu/whale/BelugaRangeHabitat.html