Trident
Beluga
Adopted by Samson Bélair Deloitte & Touche
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ID number
DL0033
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Sex
Male
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Year of birth
Before 1970
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Known Since
1986
Distinctive traits
You have to look at his dorsal crest to recognize Trident. It has several notches, one of which is rather long. A close look at the front of his right flank also reveals a slight bulge.
Life history
Trident was first photographed in 1986. He was already white. Trident would therefore have been born before 1970.
Trident’s sex was confirmed by genetic analysis of a biopsy : he is a male. He would be part of one of the two male networks in the Saguenay.
We can see Trident’s back as he surfaces to breathe. This reveals some of his unique features, details in his dorsal crest. Belugas normally perform 2 to 3 breathing sequences before diving. Dives can last up to 15 minutes and reach depths of 800 m. However, around 70% of beluga dives reach depths of over 40 m.
Regularly seen with...
Observations history in the Estuary
Years in which the animal was not observed Years in which the animal was observed
Latest news
We spot Trident in Sainte-Marguerite Bay. Other belugas are moving around him : young gray belugas and light-white adults. The herd, of around twenty individuals, is rather scattered in the bay.
Trident was last seen over fifteen years ago. What happened to him? Did he die? Has he remained invisible to the eye of the researcher all this time? One thing is certain, his story remains a valuable source of information for our knowledge of this fragile population.
Sponsor
Samson Bélair Deloitte & Touche adopted Trident (1988).