Beluga Bits

Hudson Bay is home to more than 50,000 beluga during the summer! Along the western side of Hudson Bay, there are 3 major river estuaries where beluga gather in the thousands every summer. They spend the winter in waters that are covered in ice and are hundreds of kilometres to the north. When the sea ice melts in the spring each year beluga travel to estuaries but it is not fully clear what benefits they gain in these areas. The estuaries may provide a safe refuge from killer whales, they may provide warmer water to help moult their skin, or it may be a combination of these and other factors. One thing we do know is that in the Churchill River Estuary beluga whales are close enough to peek into their underwater world and ask questions about beluga social structure, interactions with small boats, and their natural history.

By participating in this project, you help us answer questions related to social structures, life history, and habitat use!