Quick answer
Key facts about beluga whale — size, diet, habitat, and conservation in one place.
Melon and echolocation
The bulbous melon focuses echolocation clicks for navigation under ice and finding prey in murky water. Belugas can move their heads unlike most whales.
Vocal complexity
Whistles, clicks, and clangs form a rich social vocabulary — among the most vocal cetaceans. Pods coordinate hunting and maintain contact in dark waters.
Moulting in estuaries
Belugas gather in warm estuaries like Canada's Cunningham Inlet to shed skin on gravel — a spectacular summer aggregation.
Captivity and conservation
Near Threatened from climate change, noise, and pollution. Captive belugas in tanks face welfare concerns — wild pods migrate thousands of kilometres annually.