Social organization of belugas Delphinapterus leucas summering off the Solovetsky Islands (the White Sea, Russia) based on photo-identification data: Identifying social clusters

Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) summering off the Solovetsky Islands, Russia, do not form stable social clusters with consistent individual compositions during reproductive gatherings. While some pairs—often including females—showed strong associations, these were not sustained over time, suggesting fluid social dynamics influenced by both behavioral and environmental factors. The study used photo-identification data from 122 individuals observed in July–August 2022, analyzed with SOCPROG 2.9 to assess association indices. Findings highlight the challenges in distinguishing natural social behavior from individual movement patterns, leaving questions about broader social structures outside the study area and timeframe unanswered.

Panova, E. M. (2025). Social organization of belugas Delphinapterus leucas summering off the Solovetsky Islands (the White Sea, Russia) based on photo-identification data: Identifying social clusters. Океанология / Oceanology, 65(1), 145. https://doi.org/10.7868/s3034597925010115