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Beluga Whale Minutiae This marine mammal also known as the White whale. It is colloquially referred to as the Sea Canaryâ€. The name White whale derives from the distinct white coloration of the adult. The nickname Sea Canary comes from the high-pitched squeaks and whistles they use for communication. Belugas also communicate using belches. First described in 1776 by Peter Simon Pallas, a German zoologist who worked in Russia. Derives from a whale species named Denebola brachycephala. This species is now extinct. It lived as early as the Miocene epoch 23 million years ago. Found in the northern hemisphere. Usually stay in the Arctic Ocean and a few of the adjoining seas in arctic and subarctic environments. There is a small population in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Spend summers in shallow coastal waters. During the winter, they are typically found near the ice edge. Females will give birth to one offspring every 2-3 years. After a gestation of 15 months, a young Beluga, weighing over 150 lbs. and measuring 5 feet long, is born in spring. It will not be weaned until it has reached 1.5 to 2 years old. A newborn is dark brown, dark grey or black. As the offspring grows older, the coloration will change. Between the age of one and two years, it becomes bluish. Mature Belugas are white. Before the summer molt, they can look yellow. Females and their calves will often form groups consisting of 2-15 animals. Males can form much larger groups, sometimes consisting of over 500 individuals. Really large groups numbering in the thousands have been spotted. Feed mainly on fish, but also eat squid, octopus, crab and shrimp. Social and playful. They tend to be especially good-humored when they have reached their summer habitats in shallow waters, and will engage in flipper-slapping and lobtailing. Comparatively small species of whale. The males can reach a length of 13 to 18 feet; females 10 to 13 feet. Females weigh from 1000 to 2000 lbs.; males 2000 to 3000 lbs. They live from 35-40 years. Amongst the first whale species brought into captivity. The first beluga was shown at Barnum's Museum in New York in 1861. Today it remains one of the few whale species kept at aquaria and sea life parks. Their popularity with visitors is due to their attractive color and range of facial expressions. The global population stands at about 100,000. During the 20th century, they were overhunted and the population declined considerably. Also affected by harbor constructions and river diversions, and certain pollutants decrease their fertility. Their meat has been sold as food for humans and domesticated animals. Their blubber has been turned into soap and margarine, the bones used as fertilizer, and the skin used in boots and laces.