Who Are Beluga Whales?

Three top scientists will be presenting their latest discoveries about beluga whale societies, communication and culture (the knowledge they pass on from generation to generation).

One of the big questions they’ve been probing is: Do these highly intelligent whales have different dialects depending on where they come from? We already know that this is true for orcas and sperm whales. And now we’re beginning to get the answers regarding belugas.

Another big question: How important is friendship among beluga whales? We know the importance of family among whales and many other kinds of animals. But friendships outside of one’s own extended family? Is that something we’re observing among belugas? And if so, what does it mean?

And how might we learn more about all this from beluga whales who come to the sanctuary and begin a new life there together in a natural environment?  Hear from these beluga experts and ask them anything you want to know about beluga whales.

Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tYJKEFUxTemT9HXX5ABFNA

Hosted by Dr. Lori Marino of the Whale Sanctuary Project. Her guests are:

Greg O’Corry Crowe, Ph.D., Professor at Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
Greg is a National Geographic Explorer known for his groundbreaking research on social learning, culture and resilience in beluga whales. He has studied kinship patterns and migratory culture in several beluga communities in the Arctic. His work also includes studies of Steller sea lions, ice seals, bottlenose dolphins and polar bears.

Valeria Vergara, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist and Co-Director of the Cetacean Conservation Research Program, Raincoast Conservation Foundation.
Valeria has conducted groundbreaking studies of beluga whale communication both in captivity and in the wild. She is well-known for her discovery of contact calls between beluga whale mothers and calves and between adults, and for illuminating the impacts of underwater noise on beluga communication.

Jaclyn Aubin, M.S., Doctoral student, Dept of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor.
Jaclyn is a doctoral student studying acoustic communication in beluga whales. Through her work, she hopes to use patterns of beluga contact call production to inform our understanding of social structure in St. Lawrence belugas, with the ultimate goal of helping to protect this endangered population.