ST. JOHN'S, N.L. -- A lone beluga whale has been attracting onlookers at a Newfoundland cove south of St. John's as researchers work to trace the story of its origin.

Federal marine mammal researcher Jack Lawson said the young animal was first reported on July 20 at a Witless Bay wharf where tour operators station their boats.

Photos shared on social media show the beluga's grey head popping up just beside boats and people, and Lawson said he has seen photos of people touching the whale.

The young beluga may be among Witless Bay's cutest guests this summer, but Lawson, of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, is urging people to obey federal law and avoid touching or interacting with it while it's in the cove.

Photographed about 15 metres from shore, the young beluga appears to have lost its fear of people and vessels, which is a cause for concern according to Lawson. This sort of behaviour has resulted in the deaths of belugas that swam too close to boat propellers.

"I always say to people, just watch the animal, stay away from it. Let it enjoy its life," Lawson said.

A skin biopsy taken from the whale will be used to compare it to other beluga populations.

Lawson said the results may shed light on whether the solitary whale from an ordinarily social species came from the endangered St. Lawrence estuary population or from the Arctic.

Young belugas don't typically separate from their mothers but individual sightings are not uncommon, with about one reported each year around the island of Newfoundland.

The Witless Bay specimen could have lost its mother through a vessel strike or while being chased by predators, Lawson said, but its presence could also be a sign of population recovery.

"One of the things ideally you'd like to see is, as a population recovers and grows ... eventually they would disperse, they would spread occupy more historic areas around Atlantic Canada," Lawson said.

"You'd like to hope there would be some individuals that would be sort of explorers."

The St. Lawrence Estuary population once numbered at as many as 10,000, according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, but a decline has been observed since the early 2000s. The population was estimated at 900 in 2012.

Another lone beluga was spotted in late June around Charlottetown.

Last summer, the federal government tightened the minimum approach distance to 100 metres for most whales, dolphins and porpoises to protect the animals from injury.

The small Witless Bay whale seems to have been born this spring or last year, Lawson said, judging by its dark grey colour and size -- estimated between two and 3.5 metres long. He said exploratory specimens tend to be a bit older than this one, though its exact age, sex and original population group have not been determined.

Another, slightly older beluga has been spotted in recent weeks around Newfoundland's northern coast.

Beluga whales can sometimes stay in the same area for months, Lawson said, and its story can end well if humans keep a safe distance during its visit.

"I always hope that they just disappear and they go off and live a happy life somewhere."