An all-white whale of the Arctic and sub-Arctic, the narwhal’s closest relative. It has no dorsal fin, which helps it swim under ice, and a very bulbous melon on its forehead for echolocation.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
Indigenous hunters in Canada, Greenland, Alaska and Russia are allowed to hunt belugas for food.
At a glance
Found inArctic, Oceans
HabitatPolar, Open ocean, Coast
ColoursWhite
SizeHuge
LegsNone
Covered inSkin
Lives inpods
Lives for35–50 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Arctic and sub-Arctic waters.
Did you know
Called the sea canary for its high-pitched calls, and it has no dorsal fin.
Its melon is so bulbous and lobed that its head shape is unlike any other whale’s.
Often confused with
- Narwhal
The beluga and narwhal are close relatives; only the narwhal has a tusk.
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