Beluga Whales on Somerset Island: Majestic Marine Creatures at Cunningham Inlet (00020328)
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Description: Beluga whales, also known as white whales or Delphinapterus leucas, are regular visitors to Cunningham Inlet on Somerset Island. Every year in July and August, thousands of these fascinating creatures gather here to molt and shed their old skin. With a length of up to six meters and weighing up to one ton, beluga whales are majestic marine mammals. Their bluish-white to creamy skin color and lack of a dorsal fin make them unmistakable. Juveniles often have brown, gray, or even bluish hues. Formerly referred to by sailors as the 'canaries of the sea' due to their melodic vocalizations that could be heard even through ship hulls. Nowadays, more whales and dolphins perish as bycatch in fishing nets than through commercial whaling.
Location: Northwest Territories, Somerset Island, Canada
Date of Capture: 20.07.1996