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Beluga whale swimming with calf. Credit: Chris Garner, Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson
Beluga whale swimming with calf. Credit: Chris Garner, Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson
About the Species
Beluga whale swimming with calf. Credit: Chris Garner, Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson
Beluga whale swimming with calf. Credit: Chris Garner, Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson
Beluga whales are known for their white color and range of vocal sounds, earning them the title of "canary of the sea." They are very social animals, forming groups to hunt, migrate, and interact with each other.
Beluga whales are found globally throughout the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. In the United States, they are found in the state of Alaska. They are at home along coastal bays and inlets and can move between salt and freshwater. A thick layer of fat, called blubber, and thick skin helps them live in the freezing waters of the arctic and subarctic environment. Belugas also lack a dorsal fin so that they can swim with ice.
Beluga whales are vulnerable to many stressors and threats, including pollution, habitat degradation, harassment, interactions with commercial and recreational fisheries, oil and gas exploration, disease, predation from killer whales, and other types of human disturbance.
Commercial and sport hunting once threatened beluga whale populations. These activities are now banned, though some Alaska Natives still hunt beluga whales for subsistence—the practice of hunting marine mammals for food, clothing, and handicrafts are necessary for preserving the livelihood of Native communities. In 2005, a harvest management plan was approved to regulate the Cook Inlet beluga harvest. Alaska Native hunters last harvested Cook Inlet beluga whales in 2005.
All beluga whale populations are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). NOAA Fisheries has designated the Cook Inlet beluga whale population in Alaska and the Sakhalin Bay-Nikolaya Bay-Amur River stock in Russia as depleted under the MMPA (i.e., they have fallen below their optimum sustainable population levels).
In addition, the Cook Inlet distinct population segment has been listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Cook Inlet belugas are one of NOAA Fisheries' Species in the Spotlight—an initiative that includes animals considered most at risk for extinction and prioritizes their recovery efforts.
NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving beluga whales, and protecting and rebuilding depleted and endangered populations. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study and protect beluga whales. We also work with our partners to protect critical habitat for Cook Inlet belugas and engage the public in conservation efforts.
Population Status
In the United States, NOAA Fisheries identified five stocks of beluga whales in Alaskan waters. The five stocks of beluga whales are:
Beaufort Sea
Bristol Bay
Cook Inlet
Eastern Bering Sea
Eastern Chukchi Sea
The summer distribution of known beluga whale stocks in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas, including five stocks in Alaska.
Each stock is unique, isolated from one another genetically and geographically by migration routes and preferred habitats. NOAA Fisheries' stock assessment reports estimate population size for marine mammal stocks within U.S. waters.
Worldwide, belugas may number in the hundreds of thousands; however, some stocks are small, numbering in the low hundreds. The endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale population has declined by nearly 80 percent since 1979, from about 1,300 whales to an estimated 279 whales in 2018. The rapid decline and dire status of the Cook Inlet beluga whale population makes it a priority for NOAA Fisheries and its partners to promote recovery to prevent extinction.
The population of Sakhalin Bay-Nikolaya Bay-Amur River beluga whales, a stock in the eastern North Pacific off the coast of Russia, is estimated to be around 3,961 whales. In response to a petition, NOAA Fisheries conducted a status review of the stock and designated it as depleted under the MMPA in 2016.
Protected Status
ESA Endangered
1 distinct population segment
Cook Inlet DPS
MMPA Protected
Throughout Its Range
MMPA Depleted
1 stock
Cook Inlet stock
MMPA Depleted
1 stock
Sakhalin Bay-Nikolaya Bay-Amur River stock
CITES Appendix II
Throughout Its Range
Appearance
Beluga whales are dark grey as calves. Their skin lightens as they age, becoming white as they reach physical maturity. They lack a pronounced rostrum, or beak, and the top of their head is characterized by a round, flexible “melon” that focuses and modulates their vocalizations, including echolocation “clicks.” They are a toothed whale, possessing 18 to 20 teeth in both the upper and lower jawbones, for a total of 36 to 40 teeth.
The genus name Delphinapterus translates to “dolphin without a fin.” Instead of a dorsal fin, belugas have a tough dorsal ridge, which allows them to swim easily under ice floes (sheets of floating ice). Unlike other whales and dolphins, their neck vertebrae are not fused, so belugas can nod and move their heads from side to side.
Beluga whales are covered with a thick layer of blubber that accounts for up to 40 percent of their weight. The blubber keeps them warm in the arctic waters and stores energy. Some beluga populations shed their outer layer of skin each summer during an annual molt. They rub against coarse gravel in shallow waters to help remove the layer of old, yellowed skin.
Behavior and Diet
Belugas are social animals. They return to their birth areas each summer to feed and calve. Groups may range from one or two whales to several hundred whales. Individuals move between groups within these populations, unlike some killer whales, which appear to have strong ties within their maternal-led pods.
Belugas are known as the "canaries of the sea" because they produce many different sounds, including whistles, squeals, moos, chirps, and clicks. They rely on their hearing and ability to echolocate, using sound to navigate and hunt for prey. Belugas also have sharp vision in and out of water.
Beluga whales have a varied diet consisting of octopus, squid, crabs, shrimp, clams, snails, and sandworms. They also eat a variety of fish, including salmon, eulachon, cod, herring, smelt, and flatfish.
Where They Live
Beluga whales live in the Arctic Ocean and its nearby seas in the Northern Hemisphere. They are common to many regions of Alaska, as well as Russia, Canada, and Greenland. Belugas are usually found in shallow coastal waters during the summer months, often in shallow water. During other seasons, they may be found in deeper waters, diving to 1,000-meter depths for periods of up to 25 minutes. They swim among ice floes in arctic and subarctic waters, where temperatures may be as low as 32°F. Belugas also seasonally inhabit estuaries and large river deltas to feed on fish runs, and are thus well-adapted to both cold ocean habitats and relatively warmer freshwater habitats.
World map providing approximate representation of the beluga whale's range.
Lifespan & Reproduction
Similar to tree rings that can be used to age a tree, beluga teeth acquire a “growth layer group” (GLG) for each year they age. The oldest beluga on record had 80 GLGs, though this may be an underestimate of the whale’s true age due to the wear on their teeth. The oldest Cook Inlet beluga whale had 49 GLGs.
Beluga whales are believed to mate in late winter and spring. Depending on the population, this may occur during migration or in their wintering grounds. Females reach sexual maturity when they are about 6 to 14 years old, and males when they are slightly older. Pregnancy lasts approximately 15 months, and calves nurse for at least 2 years. Females can give birth every 2 to 3 years. Pregnancy rates showed signs of decline after age 46 years old in northwest Alaska. It is notable, however, that the oldest female in the northwest Alaska sample, at age 70, was carrying a near-term fetus. The oldest female beluga whale from Cook Inlet was 47 years old and appeared to have recently given birth.
Belugas generally give birth during summer in areas where the water is relatively warm, as newborn calves lack a thick blubber layer to protect them from cold water. Calves benefit from the warmer waters found in shallow tidal flats and estuaries.
Threats
Beluga whale populations are exposed to a variety of stressors and threats, including pollution (e.g., chemicals, trash), shipping, energy exploration and development, commercial fishing, extreme weather events, strandings, predation from killer whales and polar bears, underwater noise, subsistence harvesting, and other types of human disturbance. The Cook Inlet population has additional threats because of its proximity to the most densely populated area of Alaska (Anchorage).
Habitat Degradation
Beluga whales are susceptible to habitat destruction and degradation. This can range from barriers that limit their access to important migration, breeding, feeding, and calving areas, to activities that destroy or degrade their habitats. Barriers that could prevent beluga movements may include shoreline and offshore development (oil and gas exploration and development, harbors and ports, dredging, pile driving) and increased boat traffic. Contaminant releases may also degrade habitat.
Contaminants
Contaminants enter ocean waters from many sources, including point source and nonpoint source, such as oil and gas development, wastewater discharges, urban runoff, and other industrial processes. Once in the environment, these substances move up the food chain and accumulate in predators at the top of the food chain such as beluga whales. Because contaminants have long lifespans and blubber stores, belugas accumulate these contaminants in their bodies, threatening their immune and reproductive systems.
Prey Limitations
Overfishing, habitat changes, development, and the impacts of climate change can decrease the amount of food available to beluga whales. Without enough prey, belugas might experience decreased reproductive rates and increased mortality rates. Understanding the potential for food limitations to hinder population recovery is especially important for Cook Inlet beluga whales because they live in an area with high human activity.
Strandings
Live strandings occur when marine mammals become "beached" or stuck in shallow water. The exact cause of most stranding cases is unknown. Belugas may strand when molting avoiding predators; or avoiding other threats, such as noise and vessel traffic; when chasing prey, or when suffering from injuries or disease. Unlike other whales and dolphins, healthy belugas that live-strand wait for the high tide to refloat and swim to deeper water. Unfortunately, belugas have died after live strandings. Belugas with compromised immune systems may not survive a live stranding through a tide cycle.
Ocean Noise
Underwater noise pollution interrupts the normal behavior of beluga whales, which rely on sound to communicate and echolocate. If loud enough, noise can cause permanent or temporary hearing loss. This is of particular concern for the Cook Inlet population, which inhabits an area with high vessel traffic, oil and gas exploration and development, dredging and pile-driving, airports, military operations, and other noise-making anthropogenic (human-caused) activities.
Climate Change
The impacts of climate change on whales are unknown, but it is considered one of the largest threats facing high latitude regions where many gray whales forage. Most notably, the timing and distribution of sea ice coverage is changing dramatically with altered oceanographic conditions. Any resulting changes in prey distribution could lead to changes in foraging behavior, nutritional stress, and diminished reproduction for beluga whales. Additionally, changing water temperature and currents could impact the timing of environmental cues important for navigation and migration.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Cetacea
Family
Monodontidae
Genus
Delphinapterus
Species
leucas
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023
What We Do
Conservation & Management
All Beluga whales are protected under the MMPA. Our conservation efforts are focused on rebuilding the depleted and endangered Cook Inlet population, and we monitor the other populations in Alaskan waters (Beaufort Sea, Bristol Bay, eastern Bering Sea, and eastern Chukchi Sea stocks). Our management actions to protect beluga whales include:
Protecting beluga habitat
Minimizing effects of noise disturbance
Responding to stranded beluga whales
Developing disaster response plans in the event of disaster
Reviewing projects that could harm beluga whales and/or its habitat
Monitoring subsistence harvests
Educating the public about belugas and the threats they face
Our research projects have discovered new aspects of beluga whale biology, behavior, and ecology and help us better understand the challenges that all beluga whales face. This research is especially important in recovering depleted and endangered populations. Our work includes:
Stock assessments of beluga population size and trends
Aerial surveys of beluga populations and distribution
Measurements of belugas’ response to sounds using passive acoustic recorders and acoustic recording tags on belugas
Satellite tagging and tracking beluga movement, range, and distribution
Photogrammetry of belugas to measure growth and identify newborn calves
Photo-identification of belugas to estimate abundance and assess reproductive status
Promotion of citizen science to document beluga distribution and behavior
Two biologists with the NOAA Alaska Region, Kim Raum-Suryan and Sadie Wright, measure a Steller sea lion carcass during a carcass survey of the Copper River Delta. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Permit 18786
In the United States, NOAA Fisheries works to protect all beluga whale populations living off the coastlines, bays, and rivers of Alaska. This includes monitoring subsistence harvests and conducting abundance and distribution surveys. Additional management strategies and oversight are required for the endangered Cook Inlet population.
Regulatory History
All marine mammals, including beluga whales, are protected in the United States under the MMPA. One population of beluga whales—Cook Inlet—is listed as endangered under the ESA.
Beluga Populations Managed under the MMPA
In 2000, NOAA Fisheries designated the Cook Inlet stock as depleted under the MMPA in response to a significant population decline. We also took steps to restrict subsistence harvest of Cook Inlet belugas. Only five whales were harvested between 2000and 2005, and no subsistence harvest of this population has been allowed since 2007. In 2008, we published a conservation plan for the Cook Inlet beluga whale.
The Sakhalin Bay-Nikolaya Bay-Amur River stock off the coast of Russia was also designated as depleted under the MMPA in 2016.
Beluga Population Managed under the ESA
In 2008, the Cook Inlet population was listed as endangered under the ESA. We designated critical habitat for this population in 2011 and released a final recovery plan in December 2016.
We have now completed the 5-year review and conclude that no change to the listing status is warranted at this time.
NOAA Fisheries announces its intent to conduct a 5-year review of the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)…
Chronology
On August 27, 2020, NOAA Fisheries issued Permit No. 22629 to Mystic Aquarium (Responsible Party: Stephen M. Coan, Ph.D.) to import five captive-born beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) for scientific research. The whales may be imported…
NOAA Fisheries, in an effort to increase preparedness for wildlife response under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, has drafted guidelines for marine mammal response in disaster situations in Cook Inlet and Kodiak, Alaska entitled "Cook Inlet and Kodiak…
We, NOAA Fisheries, announce the adoption and availability of an Endangered Species Act Recovery Plan for the Cook Inlet beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) distinct population segment (DPS) found in Cook Inlet, Alaska.
NOAA Fisheries scientists are leading the effort to answer key questions about beluga whales, with a special focus on the Cook Inlet population. Current research includes studies of beluga whale behavior, ecology, health, distribution, and population trends.
Satellite Tagging
NOAA Fisheries scientists and their collaborators track location data from satellite tags deployed on whales to determine their movements, distribution, diving behavior, and range. In Alaska, scientists and Native subsistence hunters work together to place satellite tags on belugas.
From 1999 to 2002, we attached satellite tags to belugas in Cook Inlet and observed their year-round distribution for the first time. Tag data showed seasonal changes in beluga behavior. During the ice-covered period (December to March), tagged whales did not completely abandon upper Cook Inlet and remained within the ice floes. Whales with dive-monitoring tags identified deeper dives and for longer periods. Long-term abundance survey studies show that seasonal range of the beluga whales in Cook Inlet contracted since the early 1990s as the size of the population has decreased.
From 2007 to 2009, scientists from the United States, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia worked together to track beluga movements and habits throughout arctic and subarctic waters using satellite tags. This international project helped us learn more about the behavior, distribution and life history of belugas.
Scientists in Alaska make sure to research and track all beluga whale populations and their movements. ABWC tagged belugas in:
Bristol Bay (2002, 2003, 2006–2008, 2011, 2012, 2014)
Eastern Bering Sea (2012, 2014, 2016, 2019)
Eastern Chukchi Sea (1998–2014, 2016–2017, 2019)
Belugas in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas migrate south to the Bering Sea in the winter to avoid ice in the Arctic. This migration is called wintering. From satellite tagged belugas, we learned the three Bering Sea wintering beluga whale populations (Beaufort, Chukchi, and Bering Sea) do no interact or overlap at any time or space.
Observational Studies
NOAA Fisheries conducts observational studies using photo-identification and other techniques to understand the behavior and population dynamics of Cook Inlet beluga whales, as well as threats against them.
The Cook Inlet Beluga Whale (CIBW) Photo-ID Project began in 2005 and continues to the present day, conducting surveys of Cook Inlet belugas and developing a photo-identification catalog of individuals. The data collected help us learn more about individual movement patterns, preferred habitat, interactions with human activities, social structure, how often individual mothers give birth, and how long calves remain with their mothers. The CIBW Photo-ID Project was established and developed through funding from a combination of NGOs, industry, agencies, research foundations and Tribes, including from NOAA Fisheries beginning in 2012. Data from the project are shared with the public and with project partners, including NOAA Fisheries who is currently using them in population models. NOAA Fisheries is also contributing photos to the catalog from their recent biopsy and hexacopter studies, and in exchange, receiving data on the long-term sighting histories of these individuals. Learn more about the Cook Inlet beluga whale photo-identification project
In 2017, scientists began using hexacopters (aerial drones) to collect photographs of the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale to estimate the length of individual animals and learn more about why they have been slow to recover despite many efforts to help them. Knowing the length of the whales helps scientists determine whether they are adults, juveniles, or calves, and allows them to distinguish calves of the year (neonates) from one year old calves. Beluga whales give birth from late July to September. By conducting hexacopter photography surveys each year in late August or early September, we hope to monitor calf production and compare that to environmental factors, such as the strength of salmon runs in a given year—an important food source for belugas.
Beluga whale photographed during the 2017 hexacopter photogrammetry study of the Cook Inlet population. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Paul Wade
Measuring Pollutants and Spills
NOAA Fisheries scientists and their collaborators collect tissue samples to study the chemicals that belugas are exposed to in Cook Inlet. Our scientists also test whether pollutants and oil spills affect the fish that belugas eat. This research helps us understand the threats that belugas and their prey face when harmful substances are spilled in Cook Inlet.
Acoustic Science
Other research focuses on the acoustic environment of cetaceans, including beluga whales. Acoustics is the science of how sound is transmitted. This research involves increasing our understanding of the basic acoustic behavior of whales, dolphins, and fish; mapping the acoustic environment; and developing better methods to locate cetaceans using autonomous gliders and passive acoustic arrays.
We use acoustic science to monitor beluga hearing levels and feeding behavior. We also study how underwater noise in Cook Inlet affects the way belugas behave, eat, interact, and move within their habitat.
Scientists use small aircraft to observe beluga whales in Cook Inlet and other regions in Alaska to record their numbers and distribution. Surveys typically occur during the summer months when whales are concentrated in bays and estuaries within their respective stock areas. By comparing numbers collected over multiple years, scientists can look for trends—i.e., whether the population is increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable during a given period.
Aerial surveys, along with satellite tagging studies, have documented that Cook Inlet beluga whales have contracted their distribution into a much smaller area in the upper inlet during summer months than had been previously observed in the late 1970s—important information for wildlife managers.
Determining the number of beluga whales in each population—and whether a stock is increasing or decreasing over time—helps resource managers assess the success of enacted conservation measures. Our scientists collect information and present these data in an annual stock assessment report.
