Beluga Whales
Taxonomic name: Delphinapterus leucas
Type: Mammal
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Wild Range: Arctic/Sub-arctic oceanic distribution, populations are found in Northern USA and Canada, Greenland and Russia.
Diet: Small fish (Capelin, herring, cod), squid, octopus, shrimp, crabs
Longevity: 30 - 50 years
Size: 4.5 m (15ft) full grown
Weight: 3,000 pounds
Although you can't see beluga during your visit to the Zoo, our Conservation and Research team has a project that can bring beluga to your home. Beluga Bits is a collaborative, citizen science-based project studying beluga whales who spend their summers in the Churchill River estuary in northern Manitoba. We are using underwater photos and videos to non-invasively monitor the beluga whales within the estuary. Monitoring these whales will allow us to track beluga and ocean health, and help identify emerging threats to this population. These photos also provide an opportunity for people around the world to connect with northern species conservation and ocean health, while helping us learn more about these amazing whales.
Learn more about this project here!
