Do belugas have bromances?
Belugas live in far more complex and culturally rich societies than many people realize.
A new scientific review by a research team including Raincoast scientists just dropped at Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. It brings together decades of research to provide the most complete picture yet of the social nature of these marine mammals.
Their synthesis highlights that belugas not only form shifting groups but also maintain multi-level societies that may be organized into at least four levels: mother-calf pairs, groups, herds, and broader communities.
As belugas face mounting threats from climate change and human activities, understanding how they organize their lives can help scientists and managers design protection measures that safeguard the groups, habitats, and cultural behaviours that are key to their survival.
Aubin, J.A., Mennill, D.J., Michaud, R. et al. Beluga societies: the social and cultural lives of an enigmatic odontocete. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 80, 14 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-025-03630-3
⚠️It is illegal to fly drones over marine mammals if not under permit. These video clips were taken under permit SAGMP-2018-28703 and QUE-LEP-001-2018.
