Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
7-2021
Abstract
Behavioural observations of captive beluga whales have complemented and extended much of what has been learnt about this species in the wild. Aquarium-based research has provided finer-scale specificity for many topics, including the seasonal breeding pattern that is characteristic of this species, as well as socio-sexual behaviour that appears to be an important part of the behavioural repertoire of this species. One example is a strong propensity for male–male social interactions that begin to develop at an early age. In addition, detailed behavioural milestones in calves have been documented in ways that extend that which have been collected from wild populations. These include swim positions with mother, separations/reunions with mother, and other social interactions, and play. Characteristics of beluga maternal care have also been studied more often in captive settings than in the wild, particularly with respect to details pertaining to nursing behaviour, individual differences in maternal style and allomaternal care. Other topics that have received scientific scrutiny in zoological settings include individual differences and behavioural laterality. Thus, a greater understanding of beluga behavioural biology has the potential to emerge as a consequence of synergy between research conducted in the two settings.
DOI
10.33265/polar.v40.5508
Recommended Citation
Hill, H. M. M., Yeater, D. B., & Noonan, M. (2021). Synergy between behavioural research on beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) conducted in zoological and wild settings. Polar Research, 40(S1). Doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5508
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Included in
Applied Behavior Analysis Commons, Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons, Marine Biology Commons
Comments
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.