Qilalugaq • Beluga Whale

Natural History

Called the white whale, Belugas are known for their complex, musical calls and they are one of the few whale species that live year-round in the Arctic and subarctic where they feed primarily on Arctic Cod.

Inuit Knowledge

Because they stay in the arctic all winter, and because of their predictable migration patterns, belugas are vital to Inuit communities across the Arctic. Their fatty skin, Mutuk, is eaten raw or sometimes fermented and it was traditionally one of the Inuit’s greatest sources of vitamin C. It is also used for the soles of boots, called Kamiit.

Research

In 2013, we witnessed large entrapments of beluga whales caught in fast freezing ice. This was attributed to a very cold winter which set power consumption records in Montreal and Quebec which in turn lead to significant amount of fresh water being released from Hydro Quebec into Hudson and James Bay.

Photo Credit: Underwater Beluga by Greg Hume, (n.d.). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beluga_whale#/media/File:Beluga03.jpg. Licenced with CC BY-SA 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0.