Belugas are close cousins with narwhals

Belugas are toothed whales, a varied group of cetaceans that also includes some bigger species like orcas and sperm whales as well as dolphins and porpoises. However, belugas are a part of the minuscule family Monodontidae, which includes just two extant species: narwhals and belugas. Despite having a lot of the same habitat, interactions between belugas and narwhals are not frequent, but they do occur. In one unusual instance, a narwhal that appeared to have been adopted was seen swimming among a big pod of belugas. Given their natural curiosity and friendliness, it makes sense that belugas would welcome a relative into their family.

Along with several neighboring seas, bays, fjords, and estuaries, the Arctic Ocean is home to both belugas and narwhals. While belugas are dispersed in various regions of the Arctic, North Atlantic, and North Pacific, narwhals mostly travel the Arctic and North Atlantic. Belugas can go inland through rivers, sometimes quite a distance, since they have adapted to both fresh and saltwater. The two species do cohabit in some regions, and at least one beluga-narwhal hybrid has been spotted in the wild.