Belugas Can Turn Their Heads, Unlike Most Whales

Most whales and dolphins cannot turn their heads. The beluga can. NOAA Fisheries explains that, unlike other dolphins and whales, the beluga’s neck vertebrae are not fused, allowing belugas to nod and move their heads from side to side. Belugas are distinctive in other ways. They are known for their white color, although they are dark gray as calves and their skin lightens as they age. On top of the head is a round, flexible melon that focuses and modulates their sounds, including echolocation clicks. Those sounds earned them a nickname. Belugas produce whistles, squeals, moos, chirps and clicks, which is why they are called the canaries of the sea. They live in the Arctic Ocean and nearby seas, swimming among ice floes where the water may be as cold as 32 degrees Fahrenheit.