The Alaskan Beluga Whale, an Endangered Species
This White Whale Is Disappearing from Alaskan Coastal Waters
Sep 14, 2009
Whales have been the subject of conservation efforts for decades. While these efforts have produced some favorable results, other species have seen declining numbers. Though it is debatable whether the beluga whale is "endangered" or "threatened," the outlook for this peaceful species seems bleak.
In the United States, one population is considered endangered. According to Kenneth Weiss of the Los Angeles Times, the Bush Administration "declared a small, isolated population of Beluga whales in Alaska's Cook Inlet as endangered species, rejecting arguments from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin that these small, white whales were on their way to recovery." On October 18, 2008, belugas obtained protective status under the Endangered Species Act.
What is a Beluga Whale?
Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are also called white whales and with good reason – adult belugas are entirely white. The name "beluga" comes from the Russian word, "bielo," which means white. Calves are born gray or occasionally brown, but their skin whitens as they mature. They are bigger than dolphins but are small amongst whales, adults averaging fifteen feet in length. Their round yet muscular bodies often weigh over 3,000 lbs. Belugas have no dorsal fin, and a big, melon-shaped forehead. Unlike most whales, they have flexible necks and can turn their heads.
Belugas are sometimes called "sea canaries." This name refers to their vocal nature and echolocation skills, communicating and hunting through chirps, clicks, and squeals. Pods exist in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from two members to hundreds. They can live up to 35 years.
Where Do Beluga Whales Live?
Belugas are native to arctic and sub-arctic waters. They live in the Arctic Ocean and the coastal waters of Canada, Russia, Greenland, Svalbard, and Alaska. At certain times of the year, belugas can be seen hundreds of miles up Russia's Amur River and Canada's St. Lawrence and Yukon Rivers.
Belugas prefer cold water, sometimes just above freezing. They tend toward shallow water. In the summer, several pods travel to warm-water estuaries or river basins. Some actually migrate north in the autumn, while most migrate south to avoid growing ice sheets.
What Do Beluga Whales Eat?
Belugas are carnivores. They are toothed whales, although they swallow food whole rather than chewing it. Belugas have diverse palates. They eat many species of fish, including salmon, herring, and flounder, and also eat crustaceans, mollusks, and worms. They generally feed near the bottom of shallow ocean but may also dive hundreds of feet to dine.
Why are Beluga Whales Endangered?
Beluga whales have natural predators. Killer whales and polar bears hunt them. Polar bears capture belugas when the whales become entrapped in ice. Even when not prey for bears, belugas trapped in Arctic ice often die.
Of course, humans are the biggest threats to beluga survival. Despite its current illegality, belugas were hunted for over a century and continue to be so. According to National Geographic's website, belugas "are hunted by indigenous people of the north, and by commercial fisheries that brought some populations, such as those in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, to near collapse." Since ancient times, Alaskan, Canadian, and Russian natives have hunted belugas for meat, skin, and blubber. Unlike other whales, the beluga's thick skin can be used as leather.
For river belugas, industrial run-off, particularly in the St. Lawrence River, has poisoned the species. Toxic chemicals and carcinogens, such as DDT and PCBs, have been linked to sickness, strandings, and other beluga deaths. Pollution is a never-ending problem for marine life, and belugas are not spared its detrimental impacts.
Technology, too, may be responsible for deaths. Oil drilling in Alaskan waters has converted or polluted habitats and derailed migratory paths. Naval sonar has also been linked to whale beachings.
Due to their circumpolar distribution, scientists have difficulty accurately determining how many belugas remain worldwide. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates their numbers to be around 200,000.
What can be Done to Protect Beluga Whales?
Although belugas as a whole may not yet be on the verge of extinction, Alaskan belugas number less than 400. According to Weiss' article, the Cook Inlet beluga whale population declined 50% in the 1990s. Despite since-enacted federal protections, the population has not recovered:
"Whale biologists have not determined why the population has not rebounded since a federal plan curtailed the beluga hunt by Alaskan native tribes in 1999," said Barbara Mahoney, a fisheries service biologist in Anchorage. "Subsistence hunters have only taken five Cook Inlet whales since 1999 and none in the last two years."
No hunting will be permitted until 2013. This ban will remain in place if the population falls under 350.
Belugas in the St. Lawrence River faced similar declining numbers. Conservation efforts of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) may have slowed, if not stopped, the bleeding.
Further effort is needed to preserve both populations. Reduction of contamination from pollutants and disturbance to beluga habitats is imperative. Research into causes of disease amongst beluga populations will assist scientists in understanding and preventing potential harms. Studies conducted by NOAA, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the WWF, and aquariums (e.g., Mystic Aquarium) inform the public about belugas and promote community involvement in conservation efforts. Banning hunting altogether is a must. Designating conservation areas and cleaning them up would go a long way in preserving this magnificent species.
With these policies in place, Cook Inlet and St. Lawrence belugas may thrive again. Without them, both populations will eventually perish.
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