Nyatamah
Beluga
Adopted by Zoological Society of Montreal
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ID number
DL0078
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Sex
Female
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Year of birth
Before 1973
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Known Since
1989
Distinctive traits
The two scars under the dorsal crest, evoking the shape of two eyes, are a good way of identifying Nyatamah. She can also be recognized by her large peduncle scar.
Life history
We first met Nyatamah in 1989. She was already immaculately white. Nyatamah would have been born before 1973.
Nyatamah’s small size and the company she keeps have allowed us to confirm that she is a female. She belongs to the community of females on the south shore of the St. Lawrence.
Nyatamah is part of the group of females that, during the summer season, confines itself to the Kamouraska islands area. The research team saw her in the company of a newborn calf on a recurring basis. This association led to the suspicion, and eventual confirmation, that Nyatamah is indeed a female and probably a mother. St. Lawrence belugas generally give birth in summer. Calves are nursed for around two years. This period of learning and mothering is vital to the survival of the newborn.
Observations history in the Estuary
Years in which the animal was not observed Years in which the animal was observed
Latest news
Nyatamah is spotted off Kamouraska. We spot a herd of around ten individuals, adults and juveniles. After several minutes of observation, we realize that one of the young, a newborn, is swimming constantly alongside Nyatamah. It’s probably her calf.
Nyatamah was last seen over twenty years ago. What happened to her? Did she die? Has she remained invisible to the eye of the researcher? Impossible to know at the moment. One thing is certain, her story remains a valuable source of information for our knowledge of this fragile population.
Sponsor
Zoological Society of Montreal adopted Nyatamah (1989).