What is the level of endangerment for beluga whales?

Answer 1

On the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, they are listed under the classification of "vulnerable". Vulnerable is a subcategory of the status of Threatened of which Endangered and Critically Endangered also fall. They are also listed as Threatened in the US Fish and Wildlife Services' Endangered Species List. The IUCN lists the trend in population as "decreasing" and attribute it mostly to habitat changes caused by melting of the sea ice.

Answer 2

At present, sea otters' conservation status is listed as "Endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature; this status is better than "Critically Endangered" but worse than "Vulnerable." However, by the US Endangered Species Act, sea otters' conservation status is listed only as threatened; this status is better than "Endangered" but worse than not being listed at all.

Answer 3

The beluga whales are categorized as "Near Threatened". It means that, though significant populations exist in the wild, there are threats to their existence like pollution or hunting etc. If let unchecked, these threats can affect the numbers and cause extinction to the species.