BELUGA OR WHITE WHALE
The Beluga or White Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is an Arctic and sub-Arctic species of cetacean. It is one of two members of the family Monodontidae, along with the Narwhal. This marine mammal is commonly referred to simply as the Beluga or Sea Canary due to its high-pitched twitter. It is up to 5 m (15 ft) in length and an unmistakable all-white color with a distinctive protuberance on the head. From a conservation perspective, the Beluga is considered "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature; however the subpopulation from the Cook Inlet in Alaska is considered critically endangered and has been placed under the protection of the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. federal government.
Male Belugas are larger than females. Males can reach 5.5 metres (18 ft) long, while females grow to as much as 4.1 metres (13 ft). Males weigh between 1,100 and 1,600 kilograms (2,400 and 3,500 lb) while females weigh between 700 and 1,200 kilograms (1,500 and 2,600 lb). This is larger than all but the largest dolphins, but is smaller than most other toothed whales.
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