Beluga - mammal: description, habitat, reproduction. Beluga whale - polar dolphin Beluga lives

Appearance

The skin color is monochromatic. Changes with age: newborns are dark blue, after a year they become gray and bluish-gray; individuals older than 3-5 years are pure white (hence the name).

The largest males reach 6 m in length and 2 tons in weight; females are smaller. The beluga has a small, “browed” head, without a beak. The vertebrae in the neck are not fused together, so the beluga whale, unlike most whales, is able to turn its head. The pectoral fins are small and oval in shape. The dorsal fin is missing; hence the Latin name of the genus Delphinapterus- “wingless dolphin”.

Spreading

Beluga whales live off the coast of the Solovetsky Islands.

An isolated population exists in the St. Lawrence River estuary.

Lifestyle and nutrition

The basis of the beluga's diet is fish, mainly schooling fish (capelin, cod, cod, herring, navaga, flounder, whitefish and salmon species); to a lesser extent - crustaceans and cephalopods. Beluga whales do not grab prey, especially benthic organisms, but suck it up. An adult consumes about 15 kg of food per day. In pursuit of fish (salmon spawning), the beluga whale often enters large rivers (Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur) and the Khatanga River Bay, sometimes rising upstream hundreds of kilometers.

Beluga whales undertake regular seasonal migrations. In the spring, they begin to move to the shore - to shallow bays, fjords and the mouths of northern rivers. Flying off the coast is due to the abundance of food here and higher water temperatures. In addition, coastal areas are convenient places for “molting”; To remove the dead surface layer of skin, beluga whales rub against pebbles in shallow water. Beluga whales are attached to the same flying areas, visiting them from year to year. Tracking individual individuals has shown that beluga whales remember their birthplace and the route to it after wintering.

In winter, as a rule, they stick to the edges of ice fields, but sometimes they penetrate far into the glaciation zone, where winds and currents support cracks, leads and polynyas. When large areas of water become icy, they make massive migrations to the south. The polynyas to which belugas come up to breathe can be several kilometers apart. Beluga whales support them, preventing them from freezing; They are capable of breaking through ice up to several centimeters thick with their backs.

However, wintering sometimes ends tragically for beluga whales, when ice openings are covered by too thick ice or a herd of beluga whales is captured by the ice. In winter, beluga whales are hunted by a polar bear, which lies in wait for its prey near the wormwood and kills it with blows of its paws. Another enemy of beluga whales is the killer whale.

Beluga whales travel in herds consisting of two types of groups. One is groups of 1-3 adult females (presumably sisters) and their cubs of different ages. Another type is groups of 8-16 adult males. Chasing schools of fish, beluga whales sometimes gather in herds of hundreds and even thousands of animals.
Beluga whales are social creatures. For the variety of sounds they make, Americans nicknamed the beluga whale "sea canary" (sea ​​canary), and the Russians acquired a phraseological unit "beluga roar". The researchers counted about 50 sound signals (whistle, squeal, chirp, squeal, grind, shrill scream, roar). In addition, beluga whales use “body language” (slapping the water with their tail fins) and even facial expressions when communicating.

Reproduction

The breeding time of beluga whales in different areas is from spring to autumn; Mating and birth occur near the coast. Males often organize tournament fights for females. Pregnancy lasts about 14 months; females bear offspring once every 2-3 years. Usually one calf is born, 140-160 cm long; very rarely - two. Births occur near river mouths, where the water is warmer. The next mating occurs within one to two weeks after birth. Milk feeding lasts 12-24 months.

Sexual maturity in females usually occurs at 4-7 years, in males - at 7-9 years. The growth of beluga whales is completed by 9-11 years. Females stop giving birth in their second decade. Life expectancy in nature is 32-40 years.

Adaptation to the environment

Skin with a compacted layer of epidermis (up to 15 mm thick) protects beluga whales from damage when swimming among the ice. They are saved from hypothermia by a layer of subcutaneous fat up to 10-12 cm thick.

In addition to screams, beluga whales emit clicks in the ultrasonic range. A system of air sacs in the soft tissues of the head takes part in their production, and the radiation is focused by a special fat pad on the forehead - acoustic lens. Reflected from surrounding objects, the clicks return to the beluga; The “antenna” is the lower jaw, which transmits vibrations to the middle ear cavity. Echo analysis allows the animal to get an accurate picture of its surroundings.

Despite its massive size, the beluga whale is distinguished by its agility; she is able to swim on her back and even backwards. Usually swims at a speed of 3-9 km/h; when frightened, it can make jerks of up to 22 km/h. At an average speed, belugas emerge every 1-1.5 minutes, but are able to remain under water for up to 15 minutes. The beluga whale is adapted to masterly maneuvers in shallow water. If she nevertheless “runs aground” during low tide or while chasing a school, she can, after waiting for the tide, return to the sea.

Economic importance

Object of limited fishing (skin and fat are used). For the last three decades, there has been no commercial beluga whale fishing in Russia; Every year several dozen individuals are caught for the needs of the peoples of the North and Far East, scientific research and dolphinariums.

A beluga whale “dances” with its trainer. Utrish Dolphinarium, Sochi

The beluga whale tolerates captivity satisfactorily and is well trained. It was first performed by Barnum's Circus in 1861. Some specialties successfully mastered by dolphins and beluga whales (delivery of equipment to divers, searching for lost objects, underwater video recording) can make them invaluable assistants to humans in Arctic exploration.

Population status and conservation

Beluga roar in Russian classics

I accompanied non-doctors to the hallway - evenings,

Contrary to the advertisement, ready for service

Only on white nights, when until morning

I thought, and the stations roared like belugas.

B. Pasternak. From Spectorsky's notes.

Stupid Michel with his magnificent wife

Minces and waves his cap,

White clown gets fucked by beluga

And he threatens someone with his fist.

Sasha Cherny. Carnival in Heidelberg.

The steamboat roars like a beluga,

The Eiffel Tower is in the clouds...

Who would miss me Kaluga

Chose this year!

Sasha Cherny. Parisian ditties. II.

Bitten by a hippopotamus

And the hippopotamus is in pain,

Mouth open like a gate,

So he fell into the swamp

And the beluga roars.

K. Chukovsky. Let's defeat Barmaley! (War tale).

Notes

Links

• Beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins, fur seals and sea lions in the dolphinarium of the Moscow Zoo on YouTube
• The Belukha - White Whale program on the website of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

In the northern seas you can find an unusual mammal called " beluga whale" This animal is a middle link between a dolphin and a whale. The external shape has a strong resemblance to a dolphin, but in size it resembles a whale. In everyday life it is called " polar dolphin».

Features and habitat of the beluga whale

The beluga whale (from the Latin Delphinapterus leucas) is a large mammal, the narwhal family, subspecies - toothed whales. considered due to its habitat - the seas of the Northern Ocean and polar reservoirs.

Distribution is circumpolar (50-80 degrees north latitude). Belukha lives in the following seas: Bering, White, Okhotsk, sometimes enters the Baltic Sea. During floods it can reach the following rivers: Ob, Yenisei, Lena. According to some reports, there is a separate population of beluga whales within the St. Lawrence River.

It is large in size: the male reaches a length of 6 meters, the female - up to 5 meters. Body weight ranges from 1.5 to 2 tons. A distinctive feature of the beluga dolphin is its head, which prevents it from being confused with anyone else.

He can also turn his head, which is unusual for him. This is facilitated by fused cervical vertebrae. The fins on the chest are oval and small in size. The beluga whale, unlike dolphins, lacks a fin on its back, which is why it is also called the “wingless dolphin.”

Color Beluga dolphin vary and depends on the age of origin. Only born cubs have a blue and dark blue tint. Individuals that have reached the age of one year turn pale and acquire a gray or light gray color. Sometimes the color changes to a soft bluish color. Representatives of the population aged 3-5 years are pure white.

The character and lifestyle of the beluga whale

Beluga whales tend to gather in flocks. Groups are arranged approximately like this: a female with cubs or several dozen males. The way of life consists of systematic seasonal migrations.

In winter, they try to stick to the edges of icy water areas. Often during wintering a flock beluga whales thick ice binds and for many it ends tragically. Often groups migrate south when the covers have a very thick icing edge.

In spring, flocks gradually move to shallow waters, estuaries, bays, and fjords. This behavior is due to annual molting. They peel off the top dead layer by rubbing against pebbles or hard shores.

Migration always takes place along the same route. The fact is that beluga dolphin remembers the place of his birth and strives to return there every year. The beluga whale can be considered a full-fledged social creature in the group. Because they have actively developed communication: through sounds, body language and facial expressions.

Scientists have counted up to 50 different sounds that this animal can make. Sailors call whale beluga"canary of the sea." The animal has a good-natured character, which explains its main similarity with a dolphin. They are highly trainable, and you can often see exciting circus performances with their participation. Known cases of saving a person polar dolphin.

Beluga whale feeding

Belukhamammal feeds mainly on fish. Food intake is not done by grasping the carcass, but by absorption along with water. An adult, on average, eats up to 15 kg of fish per day.

Less often feeds on crustaceans and plankton. She loves salmon representatives very much and is ready to migrate after them across many thousands of kilometers. Because of this, it often swims into deep rivers and huge bays.

Beluga whale reproduction and lifespan

The period of love pleasures for belugas begins in the spring-summer range. To do this, they choose calmer coasts. Here they mate and offspring appear. Males often fight honorably for the female’s attention. Sexual maturity in males occurs at the age of 7-9 years, and in females - at 4-7 years.

Female polar dolphin beluga carries the cub for 14 months. The increase is carried out once every two to three years. The female gives birth in warm water, closer to the shore.

Feeds the baby milk for 12-24 months. At birth, the cub reaches a length of about 1.5 meters. Twins are rare. Beluga whales stop giving birth in their second decade of life. The average age that a mammal reaches is in the range of 30 to 40 years. The main advantage of the beluga is its incredible dexterity and evasiveness.

The usual speed of an adult reaches 3-9 km/h, when scared - up to 22 km/h. Ability to remain underwater without air for approximately 15 minutes. Every minute and a half they masterfully emerge to breathe.

Beluga whales have low vision, so they receive information about nearby objects using echo location. They emit click-like ultrasounds (there are special air sacs). A separate part of the brain reads all the data about nearby objects. This involves an acoustic lens on the forehead.

The most dangerous time for polar dolphin- this is winter. In addition to the fact that flocks can be captured by ice, they have natural enemies. The most dangerous is. It is difficult to hide from her and often the persecution ends in tears. Therefore, beluga whales try not to swim far into the ocean.

Another dangerous predator that loves to feast on beluga whales is. During wintering of mammals, he watches for them near the water's edge and immobilizes the animal with a strong blow of his clawed paw.

Recently, another bad factor has appeared that reduces the population of these animals - environmental. A large amount of toxic waste from the enterprise is discharged into the ocean waters, which forces swarms to migrate to very remote cold places. It is they who often become a trap for a large number of individuals; the beluga whale simply freezes in the sea.

Beluga whale- a favorite of spectators in huge aquariums. The animal willingly makes contact, poses and allows itself to be photographed. Feels great in captivity and is an excellent neighbor for other exotic aquarium inhabitants.

You can often see beluga whales performing in the circus; they cope well with tasks and are easy to train. On photo of beluga whale they turn out almost snow-white, like angels descending onto the water.

The beluga whale is a mammal and belongs to the family of dolphins of the suborder of toothed whales. In other words, this is a polar dolphin, since its habitat extends mainly to the seas of the Arctic Ocean. This animal does not disdain the mighty northern rivers that flow into a huge reservoir. The Ob, Yenisei, and Lena are well known to the beluga whale. It swims into the mouths of these rivers tens of kilometers upstream, but in any case prefers the sea, since there are much more fish in them, which it mainly feeds on.

Appearance

The beluga whale is a large sea animal. The body length of males is 6 meters, the weight of some individuals reaches 2 tons. On average, a male weighs one and a half tons. Females are slightly smaller. Their length does not exceed 5 meters, and their body weight ranges between one and a half tons. The body color of an adult polar dolphin is white. Hence the name of the mammal. A newborn cub's skin is dark blue, or more precisely slate blue. Over time, it turns pale and acquires a grayish tint, which gradually begins to give off a delicate blue. The blueness fades and disappears completely at the age of 4-5 years. It is replaced by white color, which remains in the animal until the end of its life.

The beluga whale's head is small relative to its body size. It has a characteristic frontal protrusion like all dolphins, but there is no beak typical of these mammals. A remarkable property of the animal is that it is able to rotate its head, turning it up, down and sideways. This is due to the mobility of the cervical vertebrae. She does not have them fused, like other close relatives, but are separated by cartilaginous layers.

The polar dolphin also has well-developed facial muscles. She can change her expression, displaying joy, sadness, complete indifference or contempt. The pectoral fins are wide, but again small relative to the body. The tail is powerful, but there is no dorsal fin. This is apparently due to the specifics of the habitat, since among eternal ice such a formation on the back can only get in the way.

The beluga whale has a very durable skin with excellent thermal insulation. Its thickness reaches 2 cm. Under the skin there is a thick layer of fat. This layer reaches a thickness of 15 cm and reliably protects the internal organs from the polar cold. She swims at a speed of 10 km/hour. In case of danger, escaping from killer whales, it can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h. Swims beautifully on its back and even backwards. It can dive to a depth of 300 meters, like all dolphins. Can withstand 15 minutes without air. While swimming, it emerges from the water every 2 minutes to take a breath of air.

Reproduction and lifespan

Beluga whales mate and give birth in coastal areas. It chooses places with warmer water. These, as a rule, are areas located near river mouths. Here, in the spring-autumn period, offspring are born. The cub is born alone and reaches a length of 1.4-1.6 meters. His weight reaches 70 kg. His mother feeds him with milk for a year and a half. She mates again two weeks after giving birth.

Males seek the attention of ladies by arranging fights among themselves. Pregnancy lasts 14 months. Females reach sexual maturity between 4 and 7 years of age. They generally lose the ability to give birth to cubs at the age of 20. Males mature at 7-9 years. Beluga whales stop growing at the age of 10-11 years. These mammals live 35-40 years. In captivity, a polar dolphin can live up to 45 years.

Behavior and nutrition

The beluga whale prefers to live in a flock. Packs consist of many groups. In some such small formations several females with cubs unite, in others adult males gather together. In spring, these animals tend to the harsh northern shores. Here, in narrow bays near river mouths, they spend the entire warm season. During this period there are a lot of fish in shallow water. The polar dolphin feeds on cod, capelin, and flounder. Loves navaga and cod. Enjoying eating herring and salmon fish, it does not disdain crustaceans and mollusks. It does not grab prey with its mouth, but sucks it in along with the flow of water.

In the spring, these mammals begin a molting period. The top dead layer of beluga whale skin is peeled off using small stones and pebbles. Animals rub their large bodies against them, and the old skin slips into the water in whole rags. It is characteristic that animals spend the summer months throughout their lives always in the same places. That is, after winter migration, they invariably return to where they were once born. They don't have it any other way.

With the onset of severe Arctic cold, beluga whales leave coastal areas and move to the edge of endless ice fields. In the absence of sufficient food, mammals swim into the zone of drifting ice. They can only exist in these areas by periodically sticking their snout out of the ice porridge.

Animals prefer vast polynyas, near which they cluster. Very often there are several such holes in the ice. Sometimes they are located many kilometers apart. If the wormwood is covered with a crust of ice, the animals break it with their large bodies. It happens that ice floes shift and creep on top of each other due to northern winds and powerful currents. In this case, access to air is blocked, and an entire flock of several hundred animals may die.

Enemies

The beluga has two enemies. These are the polar bear and the killer whale - the most powerful predators: one is land, the other is sea. The bear loves polar dolphins. He likes their thick layer of fat. Clubfoot is looking forward to winter and settles down near extensive thawed patches in the ice. As soon as the polar dolphin pokes its head out to take a breath of air, a powerful clawed paw swoops down on it.

The bear drags the stunned body onto the ice and eats it. Killer whales also love to feast on these animals. They attack them mercilessly in the water. It is almost impossible for the chosen victim to escape from a powerful predator. The killer whale swims twice as fast, and the poor mammal ends its life in its toothy mouth.

The beluga whale belongs to the order Cetacea, the family Narwhals (Monodontidae). The scientific name of the beluga whale is Delpbinapterus leucas, which means “dolphin without a wing.” It is popularly called the white dolphin, polar dolphin, and also the singing whale.

Along with its closest relative, the narwhal, the beluga whale is one of the most social cetaceans. A huge concentration of snow-white animals in an Arctic bay is an unforgettable sight.

Beluga whales are large animals: their body length is 3-5 meters, weight is 500-1500 kg. Males are approximately 25% longer than females and almost twice their mass.

Newborn whales are brown, then they gradually lighten, acquiring a gray color by the age of one year. Adults are white or slightly yellowish.

A characteristic feature of belugas is their flexible neck, thanks to which they, unlike most cetaceans, are able to turn their heads from side to side.

Another feature is the absence of a dorsal fin. Instead, beluga whales have a crest along their back (from the middle of the body to the tail).

It is noteworthy that the beluga whale can change the expression of its “face”. When the whale is calm, it appears as if it is smiling. But what is especially impressive is the demonstration of an open mouth with 32-40 teeth.

Their teeth emerge only in the second or third year of life, and it is possible that their main function is not chewing food at all. Beluga whales often click their jaws, and the teeth can be used to produce a louder sound. In addition, they like to show off their “smile” to their relatives.

Adults have a well-defined melon (a rounded pad of fat on the forehead), but it develops slowly, and is completely absent in newborns. In one-year-old cubs, the melon is already quite large, but weakly separated from the snout. Only by the age of 5-8 years (it is at this time that puberty begins) does the fat pad take on its usual shape.

Melon is used to focus sounds during echolocation. This ability is vital for orientation and finding prey in turbid waters or in the dark.

Nature made sure that the beluga whale did not freeze in cold water by providing it with a layer of fat. Moreover, this layer is so thick that the head seems too small for such a body.

Habitat

In prehistoric times, beluga whales lived in temperate waters. Today, they live only in the cold Arctic seas of northern Russia and North America, as well as in Greenland and Spitsbergen. They are found both in coastal waters and in the open ocean, and in summer in river estuaries.

In the Beaufort Sea, during their eastward migration, beluga whales stop for about a week in the vast Mackenzie River Delta before continuing their journey. In some areas, such as Svalbard, whales come to the base of the glaciers.

Lifestyle

Beluga whales spend most of the year away from the coast, in areas with a lot of ice, and sometimes in large holes in the pack ice.

From June to September, these whales gather in the hundreds in wide river estuaries. At this time, they shed: the old yellowed skin peels off, replaced by new shiny white skin.

The most sociable whales

Singing whales are one of the most social animals among cetaceans. They are rarely seen alone. Congregations of hundreds or thousands of beluga whales are quite common and often cover an area of ​​many square kilometers. The aggregation appears to behave as a single unit, but when viewed from above, it appears to be made up of many smaller groups, usually containing individuals of the same size or sex. Females and cubs gather together, large adult males also form separate groups.

Beluga whales communicate with each other through sound signals and facial expressions. They make a wide variety of sounds, including mooing, chirping, whistling, grinding, etc. Underwater, the sounds of a herd of these whales resemble the noise of a barnyard. Some of the acoustic signals they emit can be heard above water.

Movable mouth and neck allow belugas to communicate with each other and through facial expressions.

What do beluga whales eat?

The diet of beluga whales is quite varied. They feed on all kinds of schooling fish, flounder, various worms, shrimp, crustaceans and mollusks.

Singing whales usually hunt near the bottom at depths of up to 500 meters. They can dive to depths of over 1000 meters; they are limited only by the duration of the breathing pause, which is normally 10-20 minutes.

The movable neck allows cetaceans to visually and acoustically scan a large area of ​​the bottom surface. They can both suck in water and release it in a stream in order to get a hidden victim from a shelter.

Reproduction

Pregnancy lasts 14-15 months. Childbirth most often occurs at the beginning of summer, when the sea ice breaks up. Usually one cub is born; twins are extremely rare.

Immediately after birth, a strong bond is established between mother and baby. The baby can feed on mother's milk for more than two years. All this time, mother and baby are practically inseparable. The complete reproductive cycle of pregnancy and lactation takes 3 years or more.

Conservation of beluga whales in nature

Beluga whales return to their summer habitats along the same routes, even if they are hunted there. This persistence has made this species particularly vulnerable. They are so conservative in their preference for familiar migration routes and breeding sites that they do not colonize vacated territories where the population has been exterminated. One such place is Ungava Bay on the Labrador Peninsula. Previously, beluga whales were quite numerous here, but today they are practically never found.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, American and European whalers drove hundreds of beluga whales ashore. The indigenous population also hunted them, but in the past they hunted relatively small numbers of animals without causing significant harm to the population. Modern Eskimo hunters are equipped with rapid-fire rifles, harpoon guns and motor boats, so such hunts can seriously undermine cetacean populations.

Currently, the number of beluga whales worldwide is estimated at approximately 100 thousand, and the total annual catch ranges from hundreds to several thousand individuals. But the greatest concern is the degradation of beluga whale habitats due to the development of oil fields and the construction of hydroelectric power stations, although global warming may also become a problem in the future.

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Introduction

Belukha (lat. Delphinapterus leucas) is a mammal of the suborder of toothed whales of the narwhal family.

1. Appearance

The skin color is monochromatic. Changes with age: newborns are dark blue, after a year they become gray and bluish-gray; individuals older than 3-5 years are pure white (hence the name).

The largest males reach 6 m in length and 2 tons in weight; females are smaller. The beluga has a small, “browed” head, without a beak. The vertebrae in the neck are not fused together, so the beluga whale, unlike most whales, is able to turn its head. The pectoral fins are small and oval in shape. The dorsal fin is missing; hence the Latin name of the genus Delphinapterus- “wingless dolphin”.

2. Distribution

Distributed circumpolarly, between 50° and 80° N. sh., inhabiting the Arctic, as well as the Bering and Okhotsk seas; in winter it sometimes enters the Baltic Sea.

An isolated population exists in the St. Lawrence River estuary.

3. Lifestyle and nutrition

The basis of the beluga's diet is fish, mainly schooling fish (capelin, cod, cod, herring, navaga, flounder, whitefish and salmon species); to a lesser extent - crustaceans and cephalopods. Beluga whales do not grab prey, especially benthic organisms, but suck it up. An adult consumes about 15 kg of food per day. In pursuit of fish (salmon spawning), the beluga whale often enters large rivers (Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur) and into the Khatanga River Bay, sometimes rising upstream for hundreds of kilometers.

Beluga whales make regular seasonal migrations. In the spring, they begin to move to the shore - to shallow bays, fjords and the mouths of northern rivers. Flying off the coast is due to the abundance of food here and higher water temperatures. In addition, coastal areas are convenient places for “molting”; To remove the dead surface layer of skin, beluga whales rub against pebbles in shallow water. Beluga whales are attached to the same flying areas, visiting them from year to year. Tracking individual individuals has shown that beluga whales remember their birthplace and the route to it after wintering.

In winter, as a rule, they stick to the edges of ice fields, but sometimes they penetrate far into the glaciation zone, where winds and currents support cracks, leads and polynyas. When large areas of water become icy, they make massive migrations to the south. The polynyas to which belugas come up to breathe can be several kilometers apart. Beluga whales support them, preventing them from freezing; They are capable of breaking through ice up to several centimeters thick with their backs.

However, wintering sometimes ends tragically for beluga whales, when ice openings are covered by too thick ice or a herd of beluga whales is captured by the ice. In winter, beluga whales are hunted by a polar bear, which lies in wait for its prey near the wormwood and kills it with blows of its paws. Another enemy of beluga whales is the killer whale.

Beluga whales travel in herds consisting of two types of groups. One is groups of 1-3 adult females (presumably sisters) and their cubs of different ages. Another type is groups of 8-16 adult males. Chasing schools of fish, beluga whales sometimes gather in herds of hundreds and even thousands of animals.
Beluga whales are social creatures. For the variety of sounds they make, Americans nicknamed the beluga whale "sea canary" (sea ​​canary), and the Russians acquired a phraseological unit "beluga roar". The researchers counted about 50 sound signals (whistle, squeal, chirp, squeal, grind, shrill scream, roar). In addition, beluga whales use “body language” (slapping the water with their tail fins) and even facial expressions when communicating.

4. Reproduction

The breeding time of beluga whales in different areas is from spring to autumn; Mating and birth occur near the coast. Males often organize tournament fights for females. Pregnancy lasts about 14 months; females bear offspring once every 2-3 years. Usually one calf is born, 140-160 cm long; very rarely - two. Births occur near river mouths, where the water is warmer. The next mating occurs within one to two weeks after birth. Milk feeding lasts 12-24 months.

Sexual maturity in females usually occurs at 4-7 years, in males - at 7-9 years. The growth of beluga whales is completed by 9-11 years. Females stop giving birth in their second decade. Life expectancy in nature is 32-40 years.

5. Adaptation to the environment

Skin with a compacted layer of epidermis (up to 15 mm thick) protects beluga whales from damage when swimming among the ice. They are saved from hypothermia by a layer of subcutaneous fat up to 10-12 cm thick.

In addition to screams, beluga whales emit clicks in the ultrasonic range. A system of air sacs in the soft tissues of the head takes part in their production, and the radiation is focused by a special fat pad on the forehead - acoustic lens. Reflected from surrounding objects, the clicks return to the beluga; The “antenna” is the lower jaw, which transmits vibrations to the middle ear cavity. Echo analysis allows the animal to get an accurate picture of its surroundings.

Despite its massive size, the beluga whale is distinguished by its agility; she is able to swim on her back and even backwards. Usually swims at a speed of 3-9 km/h; when frightened, it can make jerks of up to 22 km/h. At an average speed, belugas emerge every 1-1.5 minutes, but are able to remain under water for up to 15 minutes. The beluga whale is adapted to masterly maneuvers in shallow water. If she nevertheless “runs aground” during low tide or while chasing a school, she can, after waiting for the tide, return to the sea.

6. Economic importance

Object of limited fishing (skin and fat are used). For the last three decades, there has been no commercial beluga whale fishing in Russia; Every year several dozen individuals are caught for the needs of the peoples of the North and Far East, scientific research and dolphinariums.

The beluga whale tolerates captivity satisfactorily and is well trained. It was first performed by Barnum's Circus in 1861. Some specialties successfully mastered by dolphins and beluga whales (delivery of equipment to divers, searching for lost objects, underwater video recording) can make them invaluable assistants to humans in Arctic exploration.

7. Population status and conservation

Since 1994, the species has been included in the IUCN Red List with the status vulnerable(Vulnerable). As of May 1999, there were about 30 beluga whale herds in the world, the total number of which was estimated at 100-200 thousand individuals (excluding Russia). Currently, the main threat to belugas lies not in intensive fishing, but in the industrial development of the Arctic shelf and pollution of the belugas’ habitat with waste and pesticides.

8. Beluga whale roar

In the Russian language there is a phraseological unit “to roar as a beluga,” associated with the loud sounds that a beluga whale makes. In the 19th century, two variants of spelling the name of this animal were common: “beluga” and “beluga”. In modern language, the word "beluga" has the main meaning - beluga fish, but for the mammal "beluga" is also used.

9. Interesting facts

Airbus created the Airbus Beluga, calling it the Beluga due to its cargo compartment resembling the body of a beluga whale.

There is a known case of a beluga whale saving a person. .

Bibliography:

Sokolov V. E. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Mammals. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., 1984. - P. 117. - 10,000 copies.

Pavlinov I.Ya. Systematics of modern mammals. - M.: Publishing house of Moscow University, 2003. - P. 221-222. - 297 p.

Marine mammals of the World. FAO Species Identification Guide. p.76-77

Culture of writing. RUSSIAN LANGUAGE - Beluga roar

Vertebrates of Russia: Beluga

In China, a white whale saved a drowning diver - RIAN news based on The Telegraph