Click here for the updated InfoBook - Beluga Whale.

Reproduction


A. Sexual maturity.

Male beluga whales become sexually mature at about eight to nine years of age, and females at about four to seven years (Nowak, 1991).

B. Mating activity.

1. Breeding generally takes place in March through May, about 10 months after calving (Haley, 1978).

2. Beluga whales breed in small bays and estuaries (Katona, Rough, and Richardson, 1983).

3. A single dominant male may mate with several females (MacDonald, 1993; SWT).

 

Birth and Care of Young

 


HOME(7224 bytes)

SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database
www.seaworld.org / www.buschgardens.org

©2002 Busch Entertainment Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.