Reproduction
--- the gestation period of the
beluga is about 14-15 months and the calf is born tail or head first
and near the surface in warm, shallow waters
--- they breed in warm, shallow waters or estuaries (where rivers meet seas)
--- the newborn instinctively swims to the surface within 10 seconds for its first breath;
it is helped by its mother, using her flippers
--- the newborn calf is about 4-5 feet long and weighs over 100-140 lbs
--- single births are the norm; twins are very rare
--- calves are not white like the adults; they are blue to brownish-red for the first year
of life-- during the second
year they are gray to blue-- their pigment (melanin) fades slowly, and by 6
years old, they are white
--- the baby is nurtured with its mother's fat-laden milk (it is 28% fat) and is weaned in
about 12-24 months
--- beluga whales reach maturity at 7-9 years