D+leucas

//Beluga Whale//  **Species: leucas ** **Endangered Species Act ****: **** Belugas were put on the list as Vulnerable in 1996 because of low numbers. In 2008 the beluga was categorized as Near Threatened because as a whole, the population does not qualify, but some subpopulations qualify as threatened (The subpopulation in the Cook Inlet qualifies as Critically Endangered). Technology has also improved and a more accurate -increased- population count is now available. **
 * Class: Mammalia **
 * Order: Cetartiodactyla **
 * Family: Monodontidae **
 * Genius: Delphinapterus **


 * Description of Habitat: **
 * Location: **
 * Belugas live in the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere in the cold arctic waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. They are found in the waters around Alaska, Canada, Greenland, & Northern Russia. Latitudes are from 47˚ to above 80˚. Belugas live in both deep and shallow waters depending on migration and subpopulation. **

**Physical Habitat Features: ** **//Currents//**//-// **<span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: #333300; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">main currents that run through its habitat are the Alaska, Labrador, E. Greenland, Norwegian, and Oyashio. ** **// Tides //**** - Tides are constantly changing according to the position of the sun and moon, producing consistently high and low. An unusual one though, is a 16 m tidal range in the Bay of Fundy, Canada because of the shape of the bay. ** **// Temperature: //** Frigid arctic waters can be lower than 0 ° C. ** Migration & Population: ** **//Migration Patterns//**//-// Migration depends on the subpopulation of beluga and environmental conditions. It is affected by ice cover, tidal conditions, access to prey, temperature, and human interaction. Some embark on large scale migrations between summer and winter sites, while others may stay in the same area year round. Those who migrate generally head south into warmer waters settling into rivers or estuaries during the summer to molt and raise calves. In the winter, many prefer costal areas where there is a light movable ice cover but some also dwell in the pack ice. **// Subpopulations //**// - // There are 29 recognized subpopulations of beluga. The main ones are Cook Inlet, Bristol Bay, Eastern Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, Cumberland Sound, Ungava Bay, West/East Hudson Bay, St. Lawrence River, Eastern High Arctic/Baffin Bay, West Greenland, Svalbard, and those in the Russian Arctic. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Medium sized odontocete <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Males are bigger and 25% longer than females. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Grow 3.5-5.5 meters long <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Mass of up to 1,500 kg  <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨  <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Adults are white and molt seasonally <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Calves are slate grey to pinkish brown when born and turn completely white by adulthood <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Newborns weigh are about 1.2-1.5 m long and weigh about 45-64 kg   **// Sexual Maturity //**// : // Males at 8-9 yrs old and females at 4-7 yrs old <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Calves are born headfirst or tail first in shallow warm waters where belugas breed. Mothers care for the young, and they reach maturity at 7-9 years. Calves are fed 28% fat green-blue milk for 1-2 years until weaned. The pigment in their skin slowly fades and they become white at about 6 years old.
 * // Geologic //****// - //**** Occupy estuaries, continental shelf and slope waters, deep ocean basins, loose ice, and heavy pack ice. **
 * //Salinity://** Higher concentrations (increasing as go deeper) results in thermocline & halocline, which makes water freeze at -1.8 ° <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">C in cold waters and low salinity in warmer waters.
 * // Population Estimates //**// - // Large uncertainties but worldwide population is about 60,000 to 80,000. Those in Cook Inlet are labeled Critically Endangered and that population count was a mere 375 at the last count.
 * // Survival Trends //**// - // The population is not suffering any major changes but subpopulations do decrease due to hunting of belugas.
 * <span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #0066ff; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Appearance: **
 * <span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #3366ff; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Reproduction: **
 * // Time of Year //**// - // Generally March through May, a single dominant male may breed with several females
 * // Gestation //**// : // 14-15 months
 * // Number of Offspring //**// : // One-twins are very rare

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Fusiform shaped body, but robust and stocky <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Thick folds of blubber & arteries surrounded by veins to keep body temperature <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Pectoral flippers are shortened & modified. They are rounded, paddle-like, & used to steer <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Flukes are curved along trailing edges <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Lacks dorsal fin; makes easier to swim just below the ice & find breathing holes <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Dorsal ridge running from midpoint of back to flukes <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Seven neck vertebrae which are not fused; gives greater mobility & flexibility in neck <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Small beaks, 34 peg shaped teeth, small dark eyes, ears are openings behind eyes, blowhole <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Melon-rounded structure on dorsal surface of the head; changes shape when whale produces sound <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Lacks hair & continuously sheds skin (molt) <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Adaptions for diving-slower heart rate, blood oxygen volume percentage is high <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #3333ff; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">
 * <span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #3366ff; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Anatomy & Physiology **

**// Preys on //**// : // About 100 different kinds of benthic animals-mainly squid, octopus, crabs, snails, sandworms, capelin, cod, herring, & flounder. Eat about 3% body weight of food per day. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Food source for Arctic tribes, such as Inuit <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Hunted in 1950’s &1960’s by commercial fisherman for food and profit <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Largely used for experimental research on acoustics, learning, and behavior, & widely known for performances in marine parks <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Profits from whale watching **// Humans //**// : // Hunting belugas for food has been a tradition since ancient times for some people, but combined with commercial hunting it has put the population in a strenuous position. In the 18th & 19th centuries20,000 were killed for meat, blubber, and melon oil to polish & light up lighthouses. Present day hunting is a concern because some beluga populations cannot withstand the amount being killed per year. **  Conservation Efforts: ** <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ International Whaling Convention in 1946 created the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to manage whale stocks, monitor populations, & conduct research. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Listed in The World Conservation Union <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Endangered Species Act to prevent extinction and understand why decline. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act made it illegal to hunt or harass marine mammals <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Whale watching guides and marine parks bring people close to the animal and bring them up to date on what is going on in the animal world. I think when it comes down to it, we need to make more laws protecting these marine mammals. All of the threats except for natural predation are human-imposed, and can be reversed with some effort. There should be restrictions on the number of belugas killed by natives, and food should be supplied as a replacement. Areas such as rivers and estuaries which house young calves and subpopulations of belugas should be especially restricted. Pollution should not be dumped into nearby rivers and the noise of commercial boats should be moved elsewhere. By cleaning up, we prevent morality early on. I also think we should continue working on how to stop overfishing and improving the environment with global warming. Everything in this world is connected, like one giant ecosystem, and overfishing has dire consequences for belugas too.
 * <span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #3366ff; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Food Chain/Web **
 * // Hunting //**// : // Forage at sea floor or hunt schooling fish by herding into shallow water before attacking; swallow food whole.
 * // Preyed upon by //**// : // killer whales, polar bears, & humans
 * <span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #3366ff; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Economic Importance: **
 * Threats: **
 * // Global Warming //**// : // As more pack ice melts, the changes that ensue as a result could completely change the arctic and harm belugas. Climate-induced geographic shifts could alter the entire habitat of their winter sites. Changes in ice could also create changes in the populations and distribution of important ice associated prey of belugas, such as arctic cod.
 * // Pollution //**// : // Garbage in the oceans is harmful to all marine animals, but pollutants dumped into river and estuaries are especially harmful to belugas and the young calves growing up there. Heavy chemicals and lead in the water, PCB and DDT are concentrated in the fat of animals and go up the food chain to belugas. The result is many stranding, weak immune systems, low birth rates, and death.
 * // Noise from Boats //** Their outstanding hearing allows belugas to hear an icebreaking vessel up to 30 miles away. Their response is to flee, which displaces pods and could become dangerous under the thick ice.
 * // Habitat Degradation //**// : // Human activities such as oil and gas development, overfishing, vessel traffic, hydroelectric development, and offshore construction disturb beluga groups and populations.
 * Solutions: **

**__ Scavenger Hunt Questions: __** <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; msofareastfontfamily: Candara; msobidifontfamily: Candara; msolist: Ignore;">1. What color are newborn calves? <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; msofareastfontfamily: Candara; msobidifontfamily: Candara; msolist: Ignore;">2. What is so special about the beluga’s neck? <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; msofareastfontfamily: Candara; msobidifontfamily: Candara; msolist: Ignore;">3. What is a major predator of the beluga?

__**Sources**__ "BELUGA WHALE." __ENCHANTED LEARNING HOME PAGE__. 17 June 2009 <http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/species/Beluga.shtml>. "BELUGA WHALES - InfoBook Index." __SeaWorld/Busch Gardens ANIMALS - HOME__. 17 June 2009 <http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/beluga/index.htm>. "CMS: Delphinapterus leucas, white whale, beluga." __CMS - Convention on Migratory Species - Convention sur les Esp__. 17 June 2009 <http://www.cms.int/reports/small_cetaceans/data/D_leucas/d_leucas.htm>. "Currents and Tides - MarineBio.org." __MarineBio.org - Marine Biology, Ocean Life Conservation, Sea creatures, Biodiversity, Oceans research...__ 17 June 2009 <http://marinebio.org/Oceans/currents-tides.asp>. "IUCN Red List (version 2009.1) - Delphinapterus leucas (Beluga, White Whale)." __IUCN Red List - Home Page__. 17 June 2009 <http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/6335/0>. "National Marine Mammal Laboratory." __Alaska Fisheries Science Center Homepage__. 17 June 2009 <http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/species/species_beluga.php>.

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