Beluga whale genome sequenced for the first time in Vancouver

The legacy of Qila and Aurora lives on.
After the mother and daughter beluga whales died at the Vancouver Aquarium late last year, researchers were able to sequence the beluga whale genome for the first time ever.
It’s believed to be “one of the most complete mammalian genomes in the scientific world,” according to Dr. Steven Jones, head of bioinformatics at B.C. Cancer’s Genome Sciences Centre. The discovery could help boost conservation efforts of the species in a signi