Beluga whales are one of the most fascinating creatures of the sea. The beluga has a distinct head shape and is very social and intelligent. They vocalize with a wide array of clicks and whistle noises, earning them the nickname “canary of the sea.” Beluga whales travel in small groups called pods and use their melons to communicate with their pod through echolocation. Now that you know what a beluga whale is, here are some fun facts about them!

Beluga whales can swim backward.
Even though belugas have teeth, they swallow their prey whole.
Beluga whales are strict carnivores.
These whales can live up to 50 years in the wild.
Belugas are related to narwhals.
The neck vertebrae on a beluga whale are not fused together, giving them a more comprehensive range of neck movement than most whales.
Belugas tend to weigh around 1 to 1.5 tons when fully grown.
Belugas are also called white whales but aren’t white at birth, and instead become entirely white once they’re sexually mature.
Whales of this species tend to grow anywhere from 13 to 20 feet long.
Beluga whales are endangered, and their red list status is near threatened.

Like all whales, Beluga Whales are endangered by climate change and oil drilling, to name a couple. These beautiful creatures rely on sea ice to hunt, though this ice is rapidly melting. Their waters are also being polluted with oil. If you want to find more on how to help these whales, you can check out sources like this one or donate to Blue Whale Conservatories.