Social Organization of Beluga Whales Delphinapterus leucas Summering off the Solovetsky Islands (White Sea, Russia) Based on Photo-Identification Data: Identifying Social Clusters

Beluga whales summering off the Solovetsky Islands (White Sea, Russia) do not form stable social clusters with consistent individual compositions, according to a study using photo-identification data. While no long-term groupings were identified, some pairs—often including females—showed high association indices, though these declined over the study period. The research suggests that beluga social dynamics may be influenced by both intrinsic relationships and individual behaviors, such as varied visiting patterns to the gathering area. Conducted in July–August 2022, the study analyzed sightings of 122 individuals near Cape Beluzhy using SOCPROG 2.9 software, highlighting the complexity of beluga social organization and the challenges in distinguishing between behavioral and environmental factors.

Panova, E. M., Krasnova, V. V., & Chernetsky, A. D. (2025). Social Organization of Beluga Whales Delphinapterus leucas Summering off the Solovetsky Islands (White Sea, Russia) Based on Photo-Identification Data: Identifying Social Clusters. Oceanology, 65(1), 129–138. https://doi.org/10.1134/s0001437024700747