Where do beluga whales live?

The majority inhabit the Arctic Ocean and surrounding seas and coasts near North America, Russia, and Greenland; many migrate seasonally between ice-covered areas and warmer estuaries.

Belugas are opportunistic feeders; their diets vary by location and season.

How social are belugas?

Belugas are gregarious and typically form groups averaging about 10 individuals, but may gather in the hundreds or thousands in summer.

How deep can belugas dive?

Belugas can dive to depths of around 700 m (2,300 ft).

Are belugas kept in captivity?

Yes, belugas are among the most commonly kept cetaceans in aquariums and wildlife parks in North America, Europe and Asia.

What are other common names for the beluga?

They are also called the white whale, the sea canary (for their high-pitched calls), and sometimes melonhead.

Some Inuit, Alaska Native groups, and Russians are allowed to hunt belugas; hunting regulations vary by country and aboriginal whaling is excluded from the IWC 1986 moratorium.

Are any beluga populations endangered?

Yes. The Cook Inlet subpopulation in Alaska is considered critically endangered and protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act; several Canadian populations are listed as endangered.

Where to See Beluga Whale While Diving

The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is an Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean and one of two living members of the family Monodontidae, the other being the narwhal. It is the only member of the genus Delphinapterus. Belugas are characteristically all white and lack a dorsal fin, adaptations that facilitate swimming under ice. They have a large, deformable protuberance at the front of the head called the melon, used for echolocation; hearing and echolocation are highly developed and help locate breathing holes under sheet ice. Adult males can reach about 5.5 m (18 ft) in length and weigh up to 1,600 kg (3,530 lb). Belugas have a stocky body with a high proportion of blubber. They are gregarious, typically forming groups averaging around 10 animals, though in summer they may gather in the hundreds or thousands in estuaries and shallow coastal areas. They are relatively slow swimmers but can dive to depths of about 700 m (2,300 ft). Belugas are migratory in many populations, moving with seasonal ice changes to estuaries and coastal areas in summer, while some populations are more sedentary. They are opportunistic feeders, with diets that vary by location and season. The global population is thought to be around 200,000, though some subpopulations have declined considerably.

Belugas face threats from hunting, contamination (including PCBs), predation, climate change, and infectious diseases; some regional populations have declined substantially while others remain more stable.

Many beluga populations are migratory, wintering around the Arctic ice cap and moving to river estuaries and coastal areas in summer; some populations are sedentary and do not migrate long distances.

At the country level, the clearest linked starting points on this guide currently point to Canada for divers looking for beluga whales.