For the Inuit, beluga whales are also very important, not only because their meat is delicious, but also because their oil, used for lighting lamps, provides bright light and releases a lot of heat, keeping their simple igloos warm. In addition, beluga whale skin is also useful, possessing a fragrance that can be used to make various ornaments.
The vast majority of beluga whales in the world live in the waters north of Europe, Alaska, and Canada. They are gregarious and have a pure white, pinkish-white body. However, they are relatively small, far smaller than bowhead whales.
In 1535, when French explorer Jacques Cartier discovered the St. Lawrence River, his fleet was greeted by beluga whales. These whales sang and danced in the water, their melodious songs echoing for miles around. The beautiful sounds amazed the crew, who affectionately gave the whales the lovely name "canaries of the sea."
Unfortunately, since the 17th century, the high profits from whaling led to the rampant hunting of beluga whales, causing their numbers to plummet. Even more tragically, the beluga whales' habitat was devastated, resulting in the deaths of countless whales. Scientists, through autopsies, discovered the cause of death: exposure to a series of toxic substances severely damaged their immune systems, leading to diseases such as perforated stomach ulcers, hepatitis, and lung abscesses. Even more alarmingly, some beluga whales developed bladder cancer, a condition unheard of among cetaceans.
