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Surprisingly little is actually known about the life and ecology of beluga whales. These elusive marine mammals live in some of the world’s most remote, frigid waters. Two distinct populations spend winters in the Bering Sea, then move north as sea ice melts and open water allows them passage into the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
There they feast on Arctic cod, frequently diving to depths of 200 to 300 meters--and sometimes over 900 meters (0.5 miles)--to find food. As the Arctic continues to change due to rising temperatures, melting sea ice and human interest in developing oil and shipping routes, it’s important to understand belugas’ baseline behavior. Ultimately, this study helps illuminate aspects of a yearly migration that spans thousands of kilometers in a region that’s experiencing rapid change.Image credit: Kristin Laidre/University of Washington
