beluga whale in captivity.
beluga whales are members of the family monodontidae , along with the narwhal, and the only member of the genus Delphinapterus. This marine mammal is commonly referred to simply as the beluga or sea canary due to its high-pitched twitter. Using the term "white whale" to refer to belugas is, in the strictest sense, erroneous, as the term "whale" is usually applied to the Mysticeti (baleen whales) and not to toothed cetaceans which belong to the suborder Odontoceti, which also includes dolphins and porpoises. It is adapted to life in the Arctic, so has a number of anatomical and physiological characteristics that differentiate it from other cetaceans. Amongst these are its unmistakable all-white colour and the absence of a dorsal fin. It possesses a distinctive protuberance at the front of its head which houses an echolocation organ called the melon, which in this species is large and plastic.
The beluga whale's size is in between a dolphin's and a real whale's. In fact, a male can b up to 5.5 m long, and can weigh up to 1,600 kg. They are slow swimmers, and opportunistic eaters. They mainly eat fish like tuna, and mackerel, and crustaceans like lobsters, shrimp, and prawns , and other deep sea creatures.
The beluga whale's size is in between a dolphin's and a real whale's. In fact, a male can b up to 5.5 m long, and can weigh up to 1,600 kg. They are slow swimmers, and opportunistic eaters. They mainly eat fish like tuna, and mackerel, and crustaceans like lobsters, shrimp, and prawns , and other deep sea creatures.