Calving

As with any arctic whale, the mating behaviour of belugas is very difficult to observe and even more difficult to decipher. Indigenous communities in both Alaska and Russia have reported Belugas assisting a female Beluga when she's giving birth. They report that beluga will swim on either side of the female, pushing against her sides to help squeeze out the calf. In addition, observers have reported female belugas taking on surrogatesä during the mating season, sometimes simulating maternal behaviour with bits of flotsam and jetsam.

Beluga whales breed in small bays and estuaries where the water is relatively warm. A single dominant male may mate with several females in a pod. Females carry their calves for 14 months and birthing season is March through until September depending on the region. A female will give birth upon sexual maturation every 2 to 3 years. The calves swim at birth and often pods form made up exclusively of mothers and calves, separate from the males. Mothers nurse for 24 months. After the first year of nursing calves develop teeth and supplement their diets with shrimp and small fishes.