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Beluga whales, also known as white whales, white dolphins and white porpoises, are white cetaceans of the Arctic Ocean. The beluga name comes from the Russian word beloye, which means "white". It has one of the most sophisticated sonar of all cetaceans. This sonar is essential for him to orient himself and to find his way in the submerged ice channels, which form a real labyrinth. The beluga can reach 6 m long. it is larger than the majority of dolphins. Adult males are usually 25% larger and heavier than females. They can measure 5.5 m, and weigh up to 1.5 t (exceptionally 2 t). This cetacean has a dorsal crest resulting from the atrophy of the dorsal fin, and is entirely white, unlike young belugas that are brown, then gray. It has a very short beak and a wide mouth. A beluga lives on average thirty years. Its maximum longevity is greater than 50 years. Belugas live in bands near shorelines and on the high seas: in Arctic and subarctic polar seas. During the summer they go in shallow waters, salty and relatively hot or with sandy or muddy bottoms.