The St. Lawrence beluga
The St. Lawrence beluga inhabits a heavily industrialized area: the waters that provide access to the heart of North America. Decimated in the past by commercial whaling, the beluga is now threatened by the spin-offs of industrialization. The St. Lawrence population is made up of a mere 1000 animals and is showing no signs of increasing. The examination of beluga carcasses recovered from the shores of the St. Lawrence—a programme initiated in 1982—has revealed disturbing concentrations of toxic chemicals in this population. Contamination has been determined to be a potentially limiting factor for its recovery. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) listed the St. Lawrence beluga as an "endangered" population in 1983. In 2004, this status has changed for "threatened" because of new quantitative classification criteria. This designation confers a high level of protection. Recovery PlanIn 1994, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the WWF-Canada were mandated to put together a Recovery Team to prepare the St. Lawrence Beluga Recovery Plan. In this report, the Team identified factors that had the potential to limit the recovery of the population and determined strategies favourable to its recovery. Limiting Factors
Disturbance Habitat degradation Competition for food resources Incidental catch Genetic diversity Catastrophic events
B. Reduce disturbance caused by human activities in areas frequented by belugas C. Prevent ecological catastrophes and ensure emergency preparedness D. Monitor the state of the population E. Investigate other potential obstacles to beluga recovery Research projectsThrough research, scientists are learning to better understand the biology of the St. Lawrence belugas, the threats that weigh upon this population and the actions that favour its recovery.
What do belugas die from? How many contaminants are found in belugas? Is the beluga’s immune system still intact? Are living belugas as contaminated as dead belugas? Are we making too much noise? How many belugas are there? Morbillivirus epidemic: a threat for the St. Lawrence beluga? Are beluga whales victims of PAHs? What do belugas do underwater? Is the accumulation of fire-retardant products in beluga whales a cause for concern? Do PAHs (toxic contaminants) cause cancer in St. Lawrence beluga whales? Other linksRelated current events
The Environment Minister proposes to add the beluga whale to the List of Wildlife Species at Risk (19 May 2005) A new contaminant on the rise in the St. Lawrence beluga whales (19 August 2004) Other current events Questions for the researchers:
Véronique Lesage: The St. Lawrence belugas are endangered. What about the belugas living in Northern Quebec? Michel Lebeuf : Are there any new chemical compounds polluting the St. Lawrence and is this cause for concern for the beluga whale population? “Portraits of whales” bulletin:
Belugas: Warning, Still Fragile! Change of status for the St. Lawrence beluga whale You may also wish to consult the Whale news network archives to read about encounters with this species. |
