Advances in Research on the Beluga Whale

Jean-Franзois Robitaille is an assistant professor of Zoology at
Laurentian University.

This book is mostly dedicated to marine and water pollution ecologists.
The information is precise and, as mentioned by the editors, this
collection of 14 articles gives a cross-section view of the most
advanced research on beluga whales in North American waters. Papers as
well as authors were apparently selected on the basis of their
contribution to various research areas that relate to the assessment of
beluga whale populations status and welfare. Topics include evolution;
population ecology; movements; assessment of methods of age estimation;
marking techniques; genetic material (skin) sampling; the impact of
ice-breakers; thermoregulation; immune responses; and metal
bioaccumulation. Fortunately, the book has the quality of the research
on which it reports and I am pleased to note that federal agencies are
involved in promoting important steps such as this publication that will
undoubtedly enhance our country’s international image of concern for
animal conservation.