The annual migration of beluga whales in Canada is being captured by underwater camera and live-streamed online.

Belugas live in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters, including around Canada, Greenland and Alaska and rely on sea ice for protection from predators and for feeding.

During the ice-free summer months, about two-thirds of the world's beluga population - approximately 57,000 whales – journey south to shallower waters around Churchill Valley and Hudson Bay, Canada. There, they are safer from their orca predators and can feed, moult and give birth to their young.

The Beluga Cams, launched by charity Polar Bears International and livestream network Explore.org, has above and below-water views of the journey, allowing viewers to “experience a bit of the beluga’s world and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of their experience”. It is part of a wider Polar Bears International goal to inspire people to care about the Arctic ecosystem.

Krista Wright, executive director of Polar Bears International, said, “The Arctic affects us all, with the impact of sea ice health stretching far beyond this ecosystem.

“We are excited to share the beluga whale migration with the world and build a community that cares about protecting the Arctic for future generations. Together, we can slow global warming, in turn saving the sea ice and the creatures that depend on it, with a collective, swift transition to renewable energy.”

View the Beluga Cams here