Russia has seen major hunts, peaking at 4,000 per year in the 1930s and 7,000 per year in the 1960s, a total of 86,000 from 1915 to 2014. [146] [152] Canada hunted a total of 54,000 individuals from 1731 to 1970. [156] Between 1868 and 1911, Scottish and American whalers killed more than 20,000 belugas in Lancaster Sound and Davis Sound. [143] In particular, past harvesting practices have had a significant impact on the beluga population in Cook Inlet. NOAA Fisheries worked with Indigenous communities in Cook Inlet to create a long-term harvest plan to implement regulations for belugas caught in Cook Inlet. Between 1999 and 2005, Alaska Native hunters captured five belugas from Cook Inlet before they were completely eliminated. Belugas often accompany bowhead whales, out of curiosity and to ensure the feasibility of the polynya to breathe, because bowhead whales are able to break the ice underwater by headbutting. [80] Whale meat consumption in Europe did not stop in the Middle Ages, but rather the whale population in nearby oceans collapsed due to overexploitation, particularly right whales around the Bay of Biscay. [6] For example, European whalers (especially the Basques were known for their expertise) had to visit the New World to catch whales. [7] The Dutch (Flemish) were also active in whaling trade in the Middle Ages,[8] and a number of documents on whale meat trade and taxation date back to historic Flanders (as far as towns such as Arras or Calais in the Pas de Calais department). What is the exact size of the whales? For many companies, they account for a large portion of sales. Take Zynga, for example: belugas swim with calves. Photo: Chris Garner, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson As annual ice cover decreases, people can access and disturb beluga habitats.
[241] For example, the number of vessels in the Arctic for oil and gas exploration, fishing and shipping has already increased, and an ongoing trend could result in an increased risk of injury and death for beluga whales. [241] Coan said the whales, which range in age from seven to 12, were born in captivity and cannot be released into the ocean. He said they will leave an overcrowded habitat with about 50 other whales and will be the subject of extensive research designed to benefit belugas in the wild. In the aftermath of World War II, salted whale meat was available as an unrationed alternative to other meats. [37] Sold as « Whahon », the meat was described as « salted whale meat with its fish flavour removed » and was almost identical to corned beef, except for « brownish instead of red ». [38] The Ministry of Food has emphasized its high nutritional value. [39] Some conservation efforts to preserve the Cook Inlet beluga include: Five-year review of the Endangered Species Act for Cook Inlet Belugawal, completed in September 2022. Belugas have a very special sense of hearing and their auditory cortex is highly developed. It can hear sounds in the range of 1.2 to 120 kHz, with the highest sensitivity between 10 and 75 kHz,[56] the average hearing range for humans being 0.02 to 20 kHz. [57] Most sounds are most likely received by the lower jaw and transmitted to the middle ear. In toothed whales, the lower jaw is broad with a cavity at its base protruding from the site where it joins the skull.
A deposit of fat in this small cavity connects to the middle ear. [58] Toothed whales also have a small external auditory hole a few centimetres behind their eyes; Each hole communicates with an external ear canal and eardrum. It is not known whether these organs are functional or simply atrophied. [58] However, the presence of boats poses a threat to animals as it distracts them from important activities such as feeding, social interaction and reproduction. In addition, the noise produced by motors negatively affects their hearing function and reduces their ability to recognize, communicate and navigate their prey. [222] To protect these marine animals during whale watching, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has published a « Guide for observing marine life. » The guide recommends that boats carrying whale watchers keep their distance from whales and specifically prohibits them from hunting, harassing, obstructing, touching or feeding them. [223] The consumption of whale meat by the Inuit of Greenland is part of their culture. However, in 2010, tourists also began to consume meat. A study by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) documented the practice of commercial wholesalers hiring subsistence whalers to meet supermarket demand. Whaling products are sold in Greenland in 4-star hotels.
[20] Mitochondrial DNA studies have shown that modern whales last shared a common ancestor 25 to 34 million years ago. [16] [17] The superfamily Delphinoidea (which includes monodontids, dolphins and porpoises) separated from the other toothed whales, Odontoceti, 11 to 15 million years ago. Monodontids then separated from dolphins (Delphinidae) and later porpoises (Phocoenidae), their closest evolutionary relatives. [16] In 2017, the genome of a beluga was sequenced, consisting of 2,327 pounds of composite genome sequence encoding 29,581 predicted genes. [18] The authors estimated that the similarity of genome-wide sequences between belugas and killer whales is 97.87%. Belugas are the only whale species preserved in aquariums and marine parks. They are exhibited in North America, Europe and Asia. [156] In 2006, 58 belugas were held in captivity in Canada and the United States, and 42 deaths were reported in captivity in the United States. A single copy costs up to $100,000, although the price has since dropped to $70,000. [203] [204] [156] As of January 2018, there were 81 captive belugas in Canada and the United States, and an unknown number in the rest of the world, according to the non-profit organization Ceta Base, which tracks belugas and dolphins in human care. [205] [203] [206] The beluga`s popularity with visitors reflects its attractive colour and facial expressions. The latter is possible because while most whale « smiles » are fixed, the additional movement made possible by the beluga`s unfused cervical vertebrae allows for a greater range of apparent expression.
[48] Identification of critical habitat for the Cook Inlet beluga In the United States, NOAA Fisheries works to protect all beluga populations that live off the coasts, bays and rivers of Alaska. This includes monitoring subsistence leaders and conducting surveys on abundance and diffusion. Additional management strategies and monitoring are needed for the endangered population of Cook Inlet. The term refers to Herman Melville`s novel Moby Dick, in which the main character chases a white whale named Moby Dick for a very long time, but never manages to catch it. Everyone on the boat, except the narrator, dies chasing the whale. In addition, belugas were collected semen,[249] body temperature data,[251] transabdominal ultrasound reproductive system examinations, and endoscopic examinations. [254] Thanks to new technologies, the reproductive characteristics of female and male belugas have been accurately described and have benefited captive breeding programs around the world.