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Beluga Livestream Captures the Whales' Epic Summer Migration

Thousands of beluga whales show up in Canadian waters every summer, and you have the chance to watch them live.

You don't have to travel to Manitoba to see these majestic creatures.
You don't have to travel to Manitoba to see these majestic creatures. | Anadolu/GettyImages

Beluga whales are some of the sea's most delightful animals, with their melon-shaped foreheads, curious personalities, and playful behavior. Thanks to Polar Bears International (PBI) and Explore.org, people have the opportunity to watch these majestic creatures every summer via livestream.

Belugas are usually found in the Arctic Ocean but also appear in subarctic waters. When the sea ice melts during summer, they venture southward and head to the Churchill River in Churchill, an Arctic port in northern Manitoba, Canada. 

Footage of beluga whales enjoying the waters of Manitoba's Churchill River estuary is streaming live now. PBI and Explore.org partner up yearly to broadcast belugas through two different camera views: one mounted on the deck of the Delphi beluga boat and one filming beneath the surface. You can watch both streams from Explore Ocean’s official YouTube channel below.

PBI has aired live videos of belugas every summer since 2014 to spread awareness about global warming and its impact on the Arctic. This year the stream kicked off in mid-July in honor of Arctic Sea Ice Day on July 15.

Hudson Bay’s Churchill River estuary attracts massive pods of belugas. Each summer nearly 60,000 whales migrate to its waters. For comparison, the population of the town of Churchill is less than 1000 people.

According to PBI, the whales migrate to the shallow waters of the river to give birth to calves and feed on fish in a safe environment. Humans are the most dangerous threat to the species, but encounters with polar bears and orcas can also be fatal. 

If you’d like to add beluga sightseeing to your bucket list, visiting Churchill, Manitoba, is the way to go. Plan your visit during the town's summer months, from early July to early September, to see these whales in action. You may also be interested in the world's first open-water beluga whale sanctuary, located in Iceland.

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