Translations:Beluga whale/3/en

Adult belugas are immediately recognizable by their white skin, rounded forehead, absence of a dorsal fin, and unusually flexible neck. They are highly social and produce an extensive repertoire of whistles, pulsed calls, and clicks. Their conspicuous vocal activity gave rise to the nickname “canary of the sea.” Sound is not a decorative feature of beluga life: it is a principal medium for maintaining social contact, locating prey, and navigating water that may be dark, turbid, or covered by ice.