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Beluga

Delphinapterus leucas

Mammal · family Monodontidae · order Cetacea

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Beluga
Photo: Carquinyol from Badalona, Catalunya, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Endangered (some populations)[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
1 state[3]
Longest recorded life
40 years[4]

The beluga, also called the white whale, is a mammal in the whale group[5][6]. In the United States it is native to Alaska, and one group of belugas is listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act[3][1].

Conservation status

Worldwide, NatureServe ranks the beluga G5, which means Secure[2]. In the United States the national rank is N3, which means Vulnerable[7]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[8]. Under the Endangered Species Act, one listed group of belugas has the status Endangered, listed April 13, 2011[1]. International trade is controlled under CITES Appendix II[9].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Endangered, listed April 13, 2011 (Cook Inlet DPS See 50 CFR 224.101)
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[7] N3 (Vulnerable)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[8] Least concern
CITES (international trade)[9] Appendix II

Where Beluga lives

NatureServe lists the beluga as native in one US state, Alaska[3]. Observation records on GBIF come mostly from Alaska, New York, California, Massachusetts and New Jersey[10]. Those counts follow where people look and report, not where the animals live.

Alaska: native, state rank S4AKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[11].
Show state ranks (1 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS4Apparently Secure

Habitat

NatureServe records these habitat types for the beluga: big rivers, bays and sounds, tidal mouths, open ocean and near shore[12]. The notes say it uses the open ocean and also shallow coastal waters[13]. In summer it uses the shallow estuaries of large rivers[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

Adult belugas eat fish and animals without backbones, such as squid and octopus[14][15]. The diet is estimated at 60% fish and 40% invertebrates[16]. Prey named in the notes includes capelin, cod, herring, smelt, salmon and sculpin[15]. A female usually has one young at a time[17]. Gestation lasts 416 days[18]. Females reach sexual maturity at 1,644 days of age[19]. The longest recorded lifespan is 40 years in captivity[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[20] 4300 cm (1693 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 40 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[17] 1
Gestation or incubation[18] 416 days
Female maturity[19] 1,644 days (about 4.5 years)
Food habits[14] Piscivore, Invertivore
Active[21] nocturnal, crepuscular, diurnal
Migration[22] local migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[16]

  • 60% fish
  • 40% invertebrates

When to look for it

NatureServe lists the beluga as a local migrant, and populations can differ[22]. Its activity pattern is recorded as circadian, which means it follows a daily cycle[23]. GBIF records for the United States fall mostly in May, September and October[24]. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[24].

January: 21 recordsJanFebruary: 2 recordsFebMarch: 83 recordsMarApril: 423 recordsAprMay: 807 recordsMayJune: 228 recordsJunJuly: 539 recordsJulAugust: 664 recordsAugSeptember: 1,690 recordsSepOctober: 1,187 recordsOctNovember: 168 recordsNovDecember: 2 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[24].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January21
February2
March83
April423
May807
June228
July539
August664
September1,690
October1,187
November168
December2

Where to see it

This species is protected or at risk, so we show its range only at the state level. We do not publish parks, nesting, spawning or wintering sites.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Alaska, New York, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the beluga endangered?
One listed group of belugas has the status Endangered under the Endangered Species Act[1]. Worldwide, NatureServe ranks the species G5, Secure[2].
Where do belugas live in the United States?
NatureServe lists the beluga as native in Alaska[3].
What do belugas eat?
They eat fish and invertebrates such as squid and octopus[14][15]. The estimated diet is 60% fish and 40% invertebrates[16].
How long do belugas live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 40 years in captivity[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan.
When are belugas seen?
GBIF records in the United States fall mostly in May, September and October[24]. This shows when people report them.

Facts and sources

  1. Under the US Endangered Species Act, beluga whale has the status Endangered, listed April 13, 2011 (USFWS ECOS). Listed entity: Cook Inlet DPS See 50 CFR 224.101. USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Beluga: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Beluga as native in 1 US state or territory: Alaska. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 40 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) is a mammal in the family Monodontidae, order Cetacea. NatureServe Explorer
  6. Other English names listed by NatureServe for Beluga: White Whale. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N3 (Vulnerable). NatureServe Explorer
  8. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  9. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix II (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Beluga: Alaska, New York, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. NatureServe state ranks for Beluga (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Beluga: Big river, Bay/sound, River mouth/tidal river, Pelagic, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Beluga. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Beluga. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 60% fish, 40% invertebrates. EltonTraits 1.0
  17. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 1. AnAge
  18. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 416 days. AnAge
  19. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 1,644 days (about 4.5 years). AnAge
  20. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 4300 cm (1693 in). NatureServe Explorer
  21. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal, crepuscular, diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  22. NatureServe migration category for Beluga: local migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  23. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Circadian. NatureServe Explorer
  24. GBIF observation records of Beluga in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Carquinyol from Badalona, Catalunya, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.