A Reconsideration of Aspects of Growth, Reproduction, and Behavior of the White Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas), with Reference to the Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Population
The beluga or white whale, Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas), was studied in Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island. Layering in teeth and mandibles plus body size were used to determine age. Sexual maturity is attained at 5 years for females and at 8 years for males, with potential life span estimated to be...
Published in: | Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada |
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Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1971
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f71-198 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f71-198 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/f71-198 2024-05-19T07:37:56+00:00 A Reconsideration of Aspects of Growth, Reproduction, and Behavior of the White Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas), with Reference to the Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Population Brodie, P. F. 1971 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f71-198 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f71-198 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada volume 28, issue 9, page 1309-1318 ISSN 0015-296X journal-article 1971 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/f71-198 2024-05-02T06:51:25Z The beluga or white whale, Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas), was studied in Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island. Layering in teeth and mandibles plus body size were used to determine age. Sexual maturity is attained at 5 years for females and at 8 years for males, with potential life span estimated to be 30 years. Whitening of the skin begins after 6 years.Multiple ovulations and accessory corpora lutea are typical of beluga. The breeding season is in May, and after 14.5 months gestation single births occur in late July or early August. Lactation lasts about 2 years, resulting in a 3-year reproductive cycle. Tooth eruption begins late in the 2nd year with partial eruption by the 3rd. This population appears to have been overexploited by commercial hunting. Productivity estimates for this species are 43% of those implied in previous studies. Article in Journal/Newspaper Baffin Island Baffin Beluga Beluga* Cumberland Sound Delphinapterus leucas White whale Canadian Science Publishing Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 28 9 1309 1318 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
The beluga or white whale, Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas), was studied in Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island. Layering in teeth and mandibles plus body size were used to determine age. Sexual maturity is attained at 5 years for females and at 8 years for males, with potential life span estimated to be 30 years. Whitening of the skin begins after 6 years.Multiple ovulations and accessory corpora lutea are typical of beluga. The breeding season is in May, and after 14.5 months gestation single births occur in late July or early August. Lactation lasts about 2 years, resulting in a 3-year reproductive cycle. Tooth eruption begins late in the 2nd year with partial eruption by the 3rd. This population appears to have been overexploited by commercial hunting. Productivity estimates for this species are 43% of those implied in previous studies. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Brodie, P. F. |
spellingShingle |
Brodie, P. F. A Reconsideration of Aspects of Growth, Reproduction, and Behavior of the White Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas), with Reference to the Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Population |
author_facet |
Brodie, P. F. |
author_sort |
Brodie, P. F. |
title |
A Reconsideration of Aspects of Growth, Reproduction, and Behavior of the White Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas), with Reference to the Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Population |
title_short |
A Reconsideration of Aspects of Growth, Reproduction, and Behavior of the White Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas), with Reference to the Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Population |
title_full |
A Reconsideration of Aspects of Growth, Reproduction, and Behavior of the White Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas), with Reference to the Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Population |
title_fullStr |
A Reconsideration of Aspects of Growth, Reproduction, and Behavior of the White Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas), with Reference to the Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Population |
title_full_unstemmed |
A Reconsideration of Aspects of Growth, Reproduction, and Behavior of the White Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas), with Reference to the Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Population |
title_sort |
reconsideration of aspects of growth, reproduction, and behavior of the white whale ( delphinapterus leucas), with reference to the cumberland sound, baffin island, population |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1971 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f71-198 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f71-198 |
genre |
Baffin Island Baffin Beluga Beluga* Cumberland Sound Delphinapterus leucas White whale |
genre_facet |
Baffin Island Baffin Beluga Beluga* Cumberland Sound Delphinapterus leucas White whale |
op_source |
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada volume 28, issue 9, page 1309-1318 ISSN 0015-296X |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/f71-198 |
container_title |
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada |
container_volume |
28 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
1309 |
op_container_end_page |
1318 |
_version_ |
1799477324753666048 |