Élizabeth
Beluga
Adopted by Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth
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ID number
DL0065
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Sex
Female
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Year of birth
Before 1970
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Known Since
1986
Distinctive traits
The first thing that catches the eye is the long, deep notch in Élizabeth’s dorsal crest. This mark, along with the other notches in her crest, makes her easy to recognize.
Life history
Élizabeth was first identified in 1986. She was already all white. Élizabeth would therefore have been born before 1970.
A biopsy taken during the summer of 1997 confirms that Élizabeth is a female from the Saguenay community.
In 1996, this female had been seen accompanied by a calf, leading the team to assume that it was a female and possibly even a mother. A beluga’s social behavior can help us determine its sex, as they live in groups of three to several dozen individuals, segregated by sex or age. In summer, females even form large communities in which they look after newborns and young. These communities are attached to traditional territories.
Élizabeth’s sex was confirmed the following year thanks to a biopsy, a skin sample taken from the animal’s back.
Observations history in the Estuary
Years in which the animal was not observed Years in which the animal was observed
Latest news
One of Élizabeth’s last contacts was on October 20, 2009 in the Saguenay fjord. She was found in a small herd of around ten individuals, made up of adults and calves. Yogi and his youngster, whom we nicknamed “Boubou”, were in the same group as Élizabeth. At the end of the contact, the group splits up and we eventually lose track of them.
Sponsor
Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth adopted Élizabeth (1999).