Beluga Whales of Churchill, Manitoba

The beluga whales of Western Hudson Bay are estimated to number close to 50,000. They are one of the healthiest populations in existence. The name beluga comes from the Russian word beilo, meaning “white.” Because they require open water to breathe, they winter in areas known to have open water year around. Approximately 2% of the Arctic Ocean is open all year long for various reasons, including tides, wind, and current in Canada’s Northern Archipelago of islands. This habitat also offers them some protection from the larger more aggressive Orca Whale.

On their bulbous forehead protrudes what is referred to as their melon. This fatty protrusion on the top of their face is responsible for the many noises that they make, which includes chirping, whistles, clicks, and moos. Because of this they have been nicknamed the “sea canary.” They are often heard on our hydrophones, which we broadcast over the speaker system on our boat. These sounds are used for communication between the group members as well as predation on smaller fish. Belugas are cetacean whales of the odontoceti suborder, meaning they are toothed. Though they are true whales, in some ways they resemble a dolphin in much of their physiology. Beluga whale pods, like other whale species, can be observed using a bubble curtain to disorient fish, allowing other members of the pod to feed on these fish.

These inquisitive whales regularly congregate in numbers of 3,500 or more around the Churchill River Estuary from the end of June through about the middle of September. They molt skin for several weeks after their arrival into the river and give birth during the month of July. Feeding is furious throughout their visit in the Churchill area and can be observed chasing millions of smaller fish called capelin. This small fatty fish allows the beluga to bulk up quickly during the summer before it retreats to its frozen enclaves of icy water in Canada’s high Arctic. Beluga whales are often seen in pods of several dozen. They generally swim within feet of our boat. Sometimes these whales even gently nudge our boat, and occasionally allow passengers to reach out and touch them.