Protection of endangered species: Beluga - white whale

The Beluga – white whale project

The Russian Geographical Society has been supporting the project since 2010.

Mission of the project: study population structure and size, study seasonal distribution of the beluga as indicator species to develop rational approach towards resource management of Russia’s arctic seas and operative Arctic ecosystem monitoring.

The work is carried out in partnership with the Russian non-governmental organization Marine Mammal Council (MMC), the institute “Giprorybflot”, Arkhangelsk and Khabarovsk air groups, and staff of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of ecology and evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The White Sea and the Okhotsk Sea populations are in the focus of studies.

Work on scientific monograph about the White Sea population of the beluga whale undergoes at the moment. The monograph will include unique data about the population structure and its dynamics, acoustic signaling and its role in the biology of the species. Proposals on measures necessary to preserve white wales under the conditions of anthropogenic impact and climate change will be also made in the monograph.