Photo: The Canadian Press

Baby female beluga at Admiral's Beach, Nfld.

A young beluga whale appears to have taken a liking to a small Newfoundland village, where some residents have made of habit of patting its head and rubbing its belly.

The eight-foot-long whale showed up at the wharf in Admirals Beach about four months ago.

Since then, it has been spotted huddling next to a small speedboat, following fishing boats and tugging on mooring lines with its mouth.

Local resident Sharon McEvoy says the white whale has grown a great deal since it arrived in March, and she says locals are regularly reaching out to touch the animal.

McEvoy says she and other residents are worried the whale could be injured by boat traffic.

Tim Frasier, a biologist at St. Mary's University in Halifax, says it's not unusual for young belugas to explore on their own, but he says the whale should be left alone for its own safety.