It's not known why thousands of beluga whales flock to the warm waters of a small estuary every year on Hudson Bay in Churchill, Canada, between late July and late August, - but they do, and their annual visit does not go unnoticed by residents and researchers in the area.
“The refuge hypothesis is the most plausible explanation, but the complete reason is probably a combination of things,” marine researcher Pierre Richard explained to Matt Villano on Explore.
Getting close to the camera. Snapshot taken on July 27 by Explore.
Beluga whales have been sighted molting their skin, feeding, mating, and resting in the shallow waters. In line with the refuge theory, the whales may migrate to the area on a yearly basis because the low water depth would easily strand a killer whale preying on the group.
With cameras above and below water attached to its dedicated ‘Beluga Boat,’ check out the livestreams from Explore below.
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
[H/T: Explore]
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