Do They Play Well With Others??
The Beluga has many different types of interactions but
overall most of them are within their own pods. First of
all, the beluga has three main predators, Killer Whales,
Polar Bears, and Humans. They are a form of nutrition for
their predators but Inuits and other arctic civilizations, also use the oils and skin of the
Beluga in their own communities. They do have good
relationships with their other Family species, the Narwhal,
and will usually migrate with them as well as Bowhead
whales.
The most predominant relationships are formed
within the Beluga species. They are very vocal with each
other while migrating between winter and summer breeding
grounds to make sure they are keeping together and hunt and
play together. Yet, the
pods are very unstable, whales may go back and forth between
pods and likely bonds are not extremely strong between
other whales. The mother and calf bond has been
proven to be the strongest relationship within their lives. In one study
they tracked a calf and a mother and found that the pathways
of the two overlap entirely which implies that they stay
with each other though mature. The calf usually stays
significantly with its mother until 5 or 6 years
after maturity. The other strong bond
formed is with the other females of the pod that support and
help other females during birth. Often groups of mothers and
calves will break off and form their own pods away from the
males.
Belugas provide a source of food and resources to the
societies that still hunt them in the Northern areas. Also,
an enjoyable impact on people are that belugas are very
curious about boats and humans and will come in close
contact. Their friendliness provides great whale watching business in the
North. The
only negative effect belugas have on humans is that they
create competition for food for those societies that rely
heavily on fishing. The
Beluga does not have large effects on the human race other
than being hunted and use of flesh but humans do have a
very negative effect on Belugas. Recent studies have shown that pollution
and carcinogens have been infecting the Beluga with viruses
and infections. The studies showed that
Belugas have been found containing the herpes virus and
cancers normally found in humans.
The pesticides and other water contaminants are
not broken down in the water and attach to sediment and
other sea life, which are both consumed by the Beluga while
they scavenge the bottom or by consuming prey.
.jpg)
Picture Permission By:
Pallas, P.S., 1776.
Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs,
|