Beluga Whales are small white salt-water mammals that are featured in Age of Empires III. Like all Whales, the Beluga is inedible, but provides a steady source of coin. They are about fifteen feet long and are the smallest Whales in the game. A maximum of four boats can gather from a Whale at a time. Belugas are featured exclusively in two maps: Saguenay and Patagonia.
History[]
| “ | Scientific Name: Delphinapterus leucas Approx. Size: 10 ft. 1,000 lb. (female); 13 ft., 1,600 lb. (male) Diet: Fish, squid, worms The beluga is a small white whale with no dorsal fin. Their scientific name means "white dolphin without a wing." Beluga whales eat a variety of fish and invertebrates that they hunt and catch. Up to half of an adult beluga's weight is fat, depending on the season. Certain groups of belugas are thought to shed their skin in warmer river estuaries by rolling themselves on rocky underwater outcroppings. Their skin is 100 times thicker than a human's. It contains a large store of vitamin C, serves as insulation, and helps cushion the whales from sharp ice and icebergs in the coldest arctic waters. Inuit people relied heavily on the beluga for food, oil, leather, and raw materials for crafts and tools. The return of belugas to waters near Inuit settlements was an event to celebrate. Many hunters and many boats, kayaks, were used to hunt a single beluga whale. Virtually every part of the whale was used. |
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Trivia[]
- While their presence in Saguenay is justified, as they do live in Hudson Bay, their presence in Patagonia is not, as they live exclusively to the northern hemisphere. Minke Whales would be more appropriate.
Gallery[]
A Beluga's tail.
A Beluga, jumping out of water.
The Beluga Whale's history portrait
Beluga Whale image from the Compendium section
