You are here: > English > Facts on the Beluga whale > Basic facts Basic facts You may be interested in some facts about the beluga whale. The whale has the species name Delphinapterus leucas (D. leucas) and is a member of: Phylum Chordata Sub-phylum    Vertebrata Class              Mammalia Order             Cetacea Sub-order      Odontoceti Super-family   Delphinoidea Family Monodontidae Sub-family      Delphinapterinae Genus            Delphinapterus Here are some more facts about the whale: Size of population: 50,000-70,000 Distribution: Around the North Pole Status of species: Vulnerable (according to IUCN) Length of male (bull): 4.2-5.5 m Length of female (cow): 3-4.1 m Weight of bull: 1-1.6 tonne Weight of cow: 400-600 kg Sexual maturity of bulls: 8 years Sexual maturity of cows: 5 years Life expectancy: 30-40 years The naming of the whale   The Latin name of this whale can be interpreted in the following way: Delphin = dolphin A = without Pterus = horn (at least in this case, though it can also mean wing) Leucas = white So, in short, “the white dolphin without a horn”. Further down the page is a list, though not exhaustive, of the name of the beluga whale in different languages.   Back