Abstract: The present study investigated the social affiliations of young beluga whales (ages 1 to 5 years). The results indicated that young males were found significantly more often in the proximity of other males (both juvenile and adult) than found in the proximity of females. Young females were found less often with other whales than were males, and they did not show a difference based on sex. These results mimic the male-affiliative patterns found in both wild and captive adult belugas, suggesting that the tendency for males to group together develops at an early age in this species.
Key Words: beluga, Delphinapterus leucas, sex segregation, social affiliation, juvenile
Document: Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.44.5.2018.500
Page Numbers: 500-505