MorphologyIts body is round, particularly when well fed, and tapers less smoothly to the head than the tail. The sudden tapering to the base of its neck gives it the appearance of shoulders, unique among cetaceans. The tail fin grows and becomes increasingly and ornately curved as the animal ages. The flippers are broad and short—making them almost square-shaped.
|
Importance - Ecological and Economical
Historic--
- harvest, for skin/leather
- Belugas are the only cetacean with skin thick enough to be used as leather when tanned
- legal subsistence harvest in the Cook Inlet
- Subsistence harvest is the only factor that can be identified as influencing the decline of the Cook Inlet population from 1994-1998, when 67 whales per year were harvested, prompting the "depleted" designation under the MMPA; the lack of recovery of the population was a factor that contributed to the endangered listing. Since 1999, the Cook Inlet beluga harvests have been limited to no more than 2 whales per year.
- The other 4 stocks have levels of subsistence harvest that do not threaten their survival
- For belugas in the Cook Inlet, increased development/ human activities in the Cook Inlet lead to potential threats, such as
- shipping
- oil and gas production and transport
- indirect and direct adverse effects from commercial fishing gear (e.g., gillnets) and operations
- pollution
- habitat destruction and alteration
- harassment due to increasing commerce and recreation in Cook Inlet
- noise
Interesting Facts
Resources |