Beluga Whales

Patrick Colgan is the executive director of the Canadian Museum of
Nature in Ottawa.

Written by an active cetacean biologist with a clear passion for the
group, this book provides a comprehensive and highly accessible natural
history of belugas. Successive chapters introduce the species (diversity
and key features), patterns of life (including mating and demography),
distribution and abundance (links of migration and food, attraction to
fresh water, and populations, especially in the Gulf of St. Lawrence),
general living (including breathing in icy waters, spyhopping, and
echolocation in and above water), and interactions with humans
(including hunting and ecotourism). Of particular interest is the
material on the beluga’s adaptations to cold conditions and on its
strong sociality. The straightforward text is complemented by large,
lush photographs.

All in all, an authoritative and attractive introduction to a
fascinating animal.