Do beluga whales have friends?

Belugas live in groups. Sometimes these groups contain hundreds of individuals, at other times just a few. A greater understanding of the nature and function of these groups is imperative to successfully direct conservation efforts.

To go through the looking glass

Over 200 beluga whales have been photo-identified since 1986. Individual files based on these observations provide ways to study the belugas' habits, reproductive success, and social organization. The genetic analysis of biopsies of known belugas offers information on their gender and family structures.

In short…     

There is segregation within the beluga whale population. Females and young generally use the upstream portion of the summer range. They form three communities, each occupying its own territory. Associations between females of the same community are variable. As for the adult males, they frequent the central and downstream portions of their summer distribution area. There are two networks of males subdivided into clans. These clans are small groups of males that develop stable associations.

Project collaborators:

Partners:

Parks Canada, Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Faune du Québec, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, World Wildlife Fund Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Fondation de la faune du Québec and Croisières AML Cruises.

Other research projects