The Mysteries Of The Beluga Whale - Nexta Expeditions
The Mysteries of the Beluga Whale

The Mysteries of the Beluga Whale

Beluga whales, also known as white whales, sea canaries, and sometimes melonheads, are a rare but cherished sight during Arctic cruises, thanks to their striking appearance. Despite the rarity of beluga sightings, a good amount is known about these friendly-faced cetaceans.

Here are a few quick facts to start with:

The beluga whale habitat spans the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, from the west coast of Greenland to Svalbard. Male adult belugas can weigh up to 1,600 kg (3,500 pounds) and females around 1,430 kg (3,150 pounds). Adult beluga whales can reach lengths of up to six meters (19 feet), though the average length is four meters (13 feet).

The average lifespan of belugas is 35 - 50 years, though some studies suggest they may live up to 60 - 70 years. Beluga whales can remain underwater for up to 25 minutes, and research has shown dive depths of almost 900 meters (2,950 feet).

But the beluga whale facts do not stop there...

blog-image

Beluga whale diet, predators, and population size

Various species of fish make up the primary prey of beluga whales: salmon, herring, and Arctic cod are among the favorites, but beluga whales also feed on mollusks, such as squid and octopus. They enjoy crustaceans, too, including shrimp and crab.

In return, belugas are hunted by polar bears and orcas (killer whales) throughout the Arctic region. The total beluga whale population is estimated to be around 150,000 and represents a much hoped-for wildlife sighting during Greenland trips specifically.

blog-image

Physical characteristics, breeding habits, and sociability of beluga whales

Beluga whales are born dark gray or brownish-gray and gradually turn white as they mature. Instead of having a dorsal fin, belugas have a tough dorsal ridge, and unlike other cetaceans, they can move their heads up and down and side to side, because the cervical vertebrae of beluga whales are not fused. This helps them catch prey in muddy or even ice-covered areas.

Extremely insulated for polar conditions, belugas have a thick layer of blubber accounting for as much as 40 percent of their body mass. Beluga whales shed their outer layer of skin, molting each summer. They typically mate in the spring, with gestation lasting around 14 - 15 months. Beluga whale calves are usually born between March and September.

Belugas are known to be very social animals, often migrating, hunting, and interacting in groups. Their vast repertoire of sounds, including whistles, squeals, moos, chirps, and clicks, is the origin of their “sea canary” name.

blog-image

Beluga whale Arctic habitat

The beluga whales you might spot during the summer on a Svalbard voyage will typically be found in shallow coastal waters around one to three meters deep (3.3 - 9.8 feet), though they appear in deeper offshore waters too.

During the summer months, belugas even migrate up estuary rivers and can be found hundreds of kilometers/miles upstream from the sea. Along the coastline, beluga whales typically occupy the waters of the continental shelf, slope, and deep ocean basins in conditions of open water, loose ice, and heavy pack ice. Overall, belugas prefer to be in shallow or coastal areas with light or highly moveable ice cover during the winter.

blog-image

Tracking beluga whale populations

Satellite data has shown that beluga whales have a seasonal migration pattern, heading to fjords and estuaries during the summer month before migrating over the winter period to separate grounds.

A study conducted by the University of Washington, USA, analyzed and organized tracking data for 30 belugas recorded over the past 15 years, which gave scientists a benchmark of the distribution and foraging patterns for two beluga populations. These two populations of beluga whales spent their winters in the Bering Sea, after which, when the sea ice melted, the belugas traveled north and spread out across the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.

The data gathered from this study suggests that belugas prefer these areas due to the abundance of Arctic cod, as dive data showed beluga whales reaching depths between 200 and 305 meters (650 and 1,000 feet) where Arctic cod are commonly found. The Washington study also found that beluga whales also reached the ocean bed in search of prey, and that their preferred depth depended on the topography of the sea floor.

blog-image

According to the scientists who conducted this study, the data they gathered will enable a baseline to be established for normal foraging patterns among the two beluga populations, enabling researchers to monitor the effects of rising sea temperatures on vulnerable marine mammals.

The results of the beluga whale study cannot only be used to understand ecological relationships for Arctic top predators, but also to inform the management of beluga whales, which are an important subsistence resource for northern communities. One question for future research is whether belugas will delay their autumn return to the Bering Sea as the Arctic stays unfrozen later into the year.

blog-image

Impacts of melting sea ice on beluga whales

Beluga whales have adapted well to life under the Arctic sea ice, with many populations migrating from warmer waters to overwinter in areas with sea ice. However, in January 2016, Arctic sea ice extent was around 7.1 percent below the recorded average, a year after the Arctic Ocean recorded its lowest maximum ice extent.

This ice recession will impact beluga populations in the Arctic in many ways. For instance, in a 28-year-long study conducted on beluga whales along western Greenland, scientists found that belugas migrated farther out from shore to chase after the receding ice sheet. This increased ranging may lead to additional predation by orcas (killer whales).

blog-image

The orca (killer whale) and Iñupiat impact on beluga populations

Researchers have found that receding sea ice has caused Alaskan killer whales to expand their range, and they are hunting more beluga whales than ordinary. In 2013, a group of researchers traveled to Kotzebue Sound in Alaska to study belugas using underwater microphones and audio analysis. But instead of belugas, they found orcas: Over 70 days, they found beluga whales only three times, while killer whales were recorded nearly every day.

It has been speculated that, due to the compromised population of beluga whales, an orca attack on even two or three belugas could be enough to prevent a given population from ever fully recovering. The presence of killer whales may also change the behavior of belugas: Audio recordings suggest belugas have become less conversational so as not to attract orca attention.

But killer whales are far from the only animal impacting beluga whale populations. Alaskan Iñupiat hunters traditionally hunt beluga whales in the spring, distributing meat and fat among community members. For these communities, subsistence hunting is an ineradicable part of their history and culture.

blog-image

The mysteries of the beluga whale remain

Scientists are still unsure about many variables that could potentially impact beluga whale populations. During the summer months, beluga whales in estuaries enjoy the mixture of freshwater and coarse substrates that facilitate their molting, but researchers are as yet unsure why belugas move back to deeper ice-covered waters. Is it more to avoid killer whales, or is it to feed on Arctic cod?

Beluga whales continue to provide scientists much to study. For lucky Arctic travelers, they provide much to marvel at.

blog-image

Best Deals

Related Trips

East and South Greenland Explorer, Incl. flight from Narsarsuaq to Copenhagen - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

East and South Greenland Explorer, Incl. flight from Narsarsuaq to Copenhagen

calendar13 Aug 2025 - 02 Sep 2025
clock21 Days / 20 Nights
From $ 11.000 per person
Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

calendar23 Aug 2025 - 05 Sep 2025
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 7.450 per person
East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

calendar30 Aug 2025 - 08 Sep 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.650 per person
South Greenland Explorer, Aurora Borealis, Incl. flight from Copenhagen to Narsarsuaq - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Narsarsuaq

South Greenland Explorer, Aurora Borealis, Incl. flight from Copenhagen to Narsarsuaq

calendar02 Sep 2025 - 11 Sep 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.150 per person
East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

calendar05 Sep 2025 - 14 Sep 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.650 per person
East Greenland - Scoresby Sund - Iceland, Aurora Borealis, Fly & Sail - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Constable Pynt

East Greenland - Scoresby Sund - Iceland, Aurora Borealis, Fly & Sail

calendar01 Oct 2025 - 12 Oct 2025
clock12 Days / 11 Nights
From $ 5.900 per person
Northeast Greenland Solar Eclipse Explorer Voyage - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Northeast Greenland Solar Eclipse Explorer Voyage

calendar02 Aug 2026 - 15 Aug 2026
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 8.550 per person
Northeast Greenland Solar Eclipse Explorer Voyage - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Northeast Greenland Solar Eclipse Explorer Voyage

calendar03 Aug 2026 - 16 Aug 2026
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 8.550 per person
Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland, Fly & Sail - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland, Fly & Sail

calendar12 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2026
clock20 Days / 19 Nights
From $ 9.350 per person
Northeast Greenland Extreme - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

Northeast Greenland Extreme

calendar15 Aug 2026 - 28 Aug 2026
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 8.550 per person
East Greenland, Scoresby Sund, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund, Including Long Hikes

calendar16 Aug 2026 - 25 Aug 2026
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.900 per person
East & South Greenland Explorer – Aurora Borealis - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

East & South Greenland Explorer – Aurora Borealis

calendar25 Aug 2026 - 08 Sep 2026
clock15 Days / 14 Nights
From $ 8.350 per person

Blog
go-leftgo-right

The Secret Life of Glaciers: How They Form, Move, and Melt - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Secret Life of Glaciers: How They Form, Move, and Melt

One of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders you can witness on an Arctic or Antarctic expedition is glaciers. These immense ice formations have been gradually moving from the mountains to the oceans for countless years, acting as both time capsules and indicators of our rapidly changing environment.
Svalbard vs. the Canadian Arctic - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Svalbard vs. the Canadian Arctic

It’s easy to assume the Arctic is uniform, a vast expanse of northern freeze shaped by snow, ice, and endless darkness.
Kayaking In Greenland - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Kayaking In Greenland

Think of Greenland and two images come to mind:
Traditional Lifestyles of the Inuit - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Traditional Lifestyles of the Inuit

The Inuit are an indigenous Arctic people who speak the languages of the Eskaleutian family and reside in four countries surrounding the North Pole: Greenland, Canada, the United States, and Russia.
Highlights from the First Arctic Voyage of Hondius - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Highlights from the First Arctic Voyage of Hondius

Our new ship Hondius completed its first Arctic expedition cruise on June 14, 2019. This being a new ship, the maiden voyage was not without its hiccups. But despite these, passenger response to the expedition was overwhelmingly positive.
The First Buildings in Antarctica: Borchgrevink’s Historic Huts - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The First Buildings in Antarctica: Borchgrevink’s Historic Huts

Borchgrevink’s huts at Cape Adare hold a significant place in Antarctic history, being the first structures ever built on the continent.
Inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Literature, cinema, and even video games often present us with various global disaster scenarios. These typically involve devastating wars, catastrophic natural events, or widespread pandemics that leave survivors scavenging for food and supplies amidst hordes of zombies.
Going Green: Ascension Island Sea Turtles - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Going Green: Ascension Island Sea Turtles

Gold beaches, green mountains - and greener turtles.
Where the Polar Bears Roam - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Where the Polar Bears Roam

Going to the Arctic without clapping eyes on a wild polar bear can be reasonably compared to visiting Africa without seeing a giraffe or a zebra or, most analogously, a lion.
Churches in Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Churches in Antarctica

'Below 40 degrees South there is no law; below 50 degrees South, there is no God', goes the old adage. When faced with a storm in the turbulent and freezing waters of the Drake Passage, one might think so.
10 Terrific Antarctic Bird Facts - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

10 Terrific Antarctic Bird Facts

Antarctica is a premier destination for birdwatching, boasting around 45 unique species. Describing them all would require an extensive article, so here we will focus on 10 fascinating facts about the birds you can encounter in Antarctica.
What the ice reveals about Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

What the ice reveals about Antarctica

The continent you'll explore during your Antarctica cruise is far more than just an ice-covered land with penguins, whales, and seals. Beneath the thick ice lie hidden freshwater lakes teeming with thousands of microbes, hinting at a diverse array of life. In 2013, a team of researchers obtained the first uncontaminated water sample ever retrieved directly from an Antarctic lake.
Birds of the North: 29 Arctic Birds and Seabirds - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Birds of the North: 29 Arctic Birds and Seabirds

The Arctic is home to some of the world’s most majestic mammals, both on land and sea. However, the bird life in this region is equally remarkable, showcasing numerous exotic species that are highly prized by bird enthusiasts worldwide.
The Arctic Hare: Easter Bunny - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Arctic Hare: Easter Bunny

Although the Arctic hare’s stern expression might make it seem like the least amused member of a serious tribunal, this polar animal is actually one of the most charming creatures on the planet – especially when Easter Sunday comes around.
15 Toothy Facts About the Atlantic Walrus - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

15 Toothy Facts About the Atlantic Walrus

The walrus is one of the most recognizable animals on the planet, and for good reason. Try sneaking into a cinema with those tusks!
Spitsbergen: Alkefjellet magic - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Spitsbergen: Alkefjellet magic

If they knew their way home, why not follow them? Equipped with GPS and compass, we approached the cliffs by zodiac. First, we heard the noise from the colony – the distinct calls of guillemots, kittiwakes, and Glaucous gulls. Then the cliffs gradually emerged from the mist.
True South: A New Flag for a Global Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

True South: A New Flag for a Global Antarctica

When Evan Townsend signed up to spend the winter of 2018 working at an Antarctic research station, he had no reason to expect he would end the season by designing a new flag for the continent. He had even less reason to expect the support it would receive.
Life migrating through the Polar Front - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Life migrating through the Polar Front

Since James Cook’s second voyage to Antarctica from 1772-1775, which provided the first descriptions of Antarctic animals, scientists have progressively uncovered the biodiversity of the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions. Numerous expeditions and research projects have since been undertaken to understand the unique ecosystems of this continent.
Antarctica Cities (and Five Other Things That Don’t Exist There) - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Antarctica Cities (and Five Other Things That Don’t Exist There)

Why write about what you won't find in Antarctica? Most travel blogs highlight what a destination offers, but many polar tourists visit Antarctica to experience a new world and escape their old one.
Living the Antarctic Dream - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Living the Antarctic Dream

From October to March, during the Austral summer, thousands of breeding gentoo, Adèlie, and chinstrap penguins flock to the Western Antarctic Peninsula to rear their chicks and feast on krill before the harsh winter arrives. Alongside the penguins, field biologists from around the world gather to study these habits for conservation research. Observing these animals is one thing, but residing in an Antarctic field station for an entire breeding season is another. One particular field camp on King George Island, managed by American scientists, has perfected this Antarctic lifestyle and has thrived for over 30 years.