What is communication? What is language? Is it possible for animals to communicate or have language? These questions have been puzzling people for centuries. In the case of Beluga whales, they do seem to communicate with each other. There is even evidence that they communicate differently when they are with their own kind than they do when they are with humans. The next question is, does their communication have substance or are they just reacting to circumstances? Are their communications no more than "knee jerk" reactions to their environment? The fact that they communicate differently with their own kind may lead us to believe that they do have a form of language unique to themselves.

There is evidence too that they act without stimuli. In one instance, a woman sat on the edge of a beluga's tank just watching them swim. She had never been there before so they were not familiar with her. As she watched, one of the belugas came up to her using his echolocation to scan her and proceeded to squirt her in the face with water. The woman squirted water back at the beluga and a new game was begun.

The fact that activities such as these are at times initiated by the beluga to me is an indication that they are playful and there seems little doubt that they are intelligent creatures.

Of all marine mammals, the beluga or canary of the sea, is the most vocal. But just as we as humans communicate in many ways and for different reasons, so do belugas. They use different behaviour and postures, vocalizations and even facial expressions. There is even evidence that when they are in danger they release pheromones that warn others of their kind to stay away from a dangerous area.

They do of course simply react to situations as well. But then, so do humans. There is so much that we still need to learn. We may never be able to communicate with the belugas.... but then.... who knows?