As far as toothed whales go, beluga whales are mid-sized. Depending on the gender, they can reach a length of 10-18 feet and weigh 1,500-3,500 pounds with males being 25% longer and sturdier.

Adult belugas are easily identified from other whale species due to their white coloring which is used for camouflage in the arctic. However, belugas will shed their skin every winter by rubbing against riverbeds.

Having no dorsal fin allows them to navigate easier under the ice and avoid excess heat loss. The beluga whale is also encased in a thick layer of blubber with their melon also being made of fat.

Beluga whales can be found in the shallow coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean in the summer but will migrate to the open sea during winter to areas surrounded by ice called polynyas.

Beluga whales are opportunistic feeders whose diet changes with the season and location; their prey can include sole, herring, flounder, crabs, clams, octopus, and more. They can dive up to 800 meters and stay down for up to 25 minutes! Since belugas don’t have sharp or long teeth, they use a powerful suction and expelling motion to eat, which is why all their food is smaller so they don’t choke.

Beluga whales usually mate between February and March; however, females can delay their implantation. Once pregnant, the female beluga carries one calf for 12-15 months, eventually giving birth in warmer waters. The newborn is almost 5 feet long, 180 pounds, gray, and able to swim quickly alongside its mother. It will be dependent on its mom’s milk for about a year before switching to small fish and shrimp.

A beluga whale is in the same family as narwhals but is the only member of the genus Delphinapterus.

They are also called the melonhead whale, the sea canary, and the white whale.

They can find holes in the ice to breathe using their echolocation and excellent hearing.