Beluga whales were once common in Finnish waters until the 1940s, study finds

A new study by the University of Turku reveals that beluga whales were frequently spotted along Finland’s coasts until their numbers sharply declined in the 1940s, never recovering to previous levels. The research, published in Boreal Environment Research, draws on historical newspaper and magazine archives from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Researchers from the university’s cultural history department analysed digitised publications dating from 1828 to 1975, uncovering 413 documented beluga sightings involving over 500 individuals in Finnish waters. Most observations occurred between June and August, though some were recorded in spring—particularly May—and autumn, from September to October. Winter sightings were rare and typically involved dead whales washed ashore.

The study found that the majority of historical beluga encounters were linked to fishing activities, with the whales often becoming entangled in nets or deliberately killed. The population collapse in the 1940s has been attributed to severe ice winters, after which sightings became rare and largely confined to southern coastal areas.

Today, the Baltic Sea beluga population is classified as critically endangered, with an estimated 500 individuals remaining. The research offers new insights into long-term changes in the species’ presence and how coastal communities, especially fishermen, perceived the animal.

The findings were compiled from the National Library of Finland’s digitised press archives, providing a historical baseline for understanding the beluga’s decline in the region.