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Beluga Whale Timeline
Natalie Wendorf & Kaitlyn Pietsch -
Origin
Beluga Whales were first identified in 1776. Their original habitat range was in the Arctic and Subarctic waters. The estimate of their original population size was 40,000 to 80,000. -
Threats
The increased shipment of oil and gas causes great pollution and oil spills in the oceans. This causes whales to get stuck in oil or get sick. All the noises that involve underwater noise pollution interfere with their communication. These problems affect whales not being able to find mates, navigate, avoid predators, and take care of their young. Climate change affects the timing of the ice and the species can't adapt. This all happened during the 19th and early 20th century. -
Population Over Time
The current population is more than 150,000 and is listed as Near Threatened. However, the hunting of Beluga Whales led to a decrease in their population of 62% between 1981 and 1994, and numbers are still decreasing. With their low rate of reproduction the population recovery much harder. Beluga Whales were almost extinct but with a slow recovery they have gotten to Near Threatened. -
Conservation Efforts
The Georgia aquarium studies how pollution and the food eaten by whales is affecting the species. Also SeaWorld and Busch gardens Research Center look that the reproduction and anatomy of beluga whales to manage a diverse mammal population to increase the reproduction of beluga whales. -
Citations
https://www.ammpa.org/sites/default/files/files/animalfactsheets/AMMPA-BelugaWhaleFactSheet-WEB.pdf https://www.britannica.com/animal/beluga https://www.livescience.com/55466-beluga-whales.html https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/b/beluga-whale/ https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/beluga