Tag

Beluga

All articles tagged with #beluga

local1 month ago•16 min saved

Three Belugas Die at Shedd in Eight Days, Fueling Rescue-Scrutiny Debate

Three belugas have died at Shedd Aquarium within eight days—Rain and Beethoven after transfers from Marineland, following Peekachu’s earlier death—raising questions about the health and handling of rescued whales. Necropsies and tests are underway as advocates push for greater transparency and a shift toward seaside sanctuaries, amid concerns about rapid beluga population growth at the aquarium and the overall rescue effort.

via Block Club Chicago|

#animal-welfare #beluga #local

science1 month ago•10 min saved

Whale Talk: Listening to Ocean Chatter to Save Them and Redefine Language

Scientists use hydrophones and AI-driven analysis to decode belugas’ infant babble and self-identifying calls, map dialects across humpbacks, orcas and sperm whales, and link vocal patterns to behavior and vulnerability. The work highlights how noise pollution, shipping and warming oceans affect communication and conservation, and it explores using acoustic data to inform targeted protections—while debates continue about whether whales truly have language and the ethics of attempts to converse with them.

via The Guardian|

#acoustic-communication #beluga #conservation

downtown1 month ago•15 min saved

Beluga Peekachu Dies at Shedd Aquarium After Rescue

Peekachu, a 23-year-old beluga rescued from a shuttered Canadian park as part of an international relocation effort, died suddenly at Shedd Aquarium after bloodwork indicated dehydration; a necropsy will be performed to determine the cause, and the remaining rescued belugas at Shedd are being monitored as the broader rescue operation continues.

via Block Club Chicago|

#beluga #dehydration #downtown

science2 months ago•16 min saved

Arctic belugas dive deep on one breath, powered by muscle oxygen

Beluga whales routinely descend to about 700 meters and stay submerged for 20–25 minutes on a single breath, thanks to lungs that collapse under pressure and gas exchange halting early so they run on an oxygen-rich muscle reservoir fortified by high myoglobin. This physiology, along with thick blubber insulation and heat-conserving circulation, lets them hunt deep beneath ice in near darkness. As Arctic ice retreats, changing habitat and increased predation add new pressures to these deep-diving specialists.

via Space Daily|

#arctic #beluga #diving