Summary of the reasonsprocess by which the cook inlet beluga whale delphinapterus leucas became listed as federally endangered. Killer whale predation on belugas in cook inlet, alaska, has become a concern since the decline of these belugas was documented during the 1990s. The population estimate three years ago was about 340 whales. The whales, which grow to about the length of a small sea kayak, like to eat salmon in the rivers that empty into upper cook inlet, but at low tide most of those shallow river mouths emerge as mudflats braided with channels too treacherous for a beluga to navigate without stranding. Pdf killer whale predation on belugas in cook inlet. April 08, 2011 friday sitnews noaas fisheries service today announced it is designating two areas of alaskas cook inlet as critical habitat for the endangered cook inlet beluga whale. There are fewer than 300 today, and theyre steadily declining. Each beluga was tagged with a satellitelinked time and depth recorder which records average dive depths, dive intervals, and time at depth. Endangered cook inlet beluga whales continue to decline. Biannually, nmfs conducts aerial surveys to determine stock abundance. Tagging a beluga whale in cook inlet with a satellite telemetry. History of policy actions involving the federal listing of cook inlet beluga whale delphinapterus leucas.
Dec 02, 2017 a new recovery plan for endangered cook inlet belugas focuses on counteracting what federal regulators believe are the biggest threats to alaskas most urban whales, but none that would stop local. Cook inlet activities include commercial fishing, oil and gas development, release of treated sewage, noise from aircraft and ships, shipping traffic, and tourism. Download scientific diagram tagging a beluga whale in cook inlet with a satellite telemetry system. We advocated for the species listing under the esa.
Delphinapterus leucas is an arctic and subarctic cetacean. The population is estimated to be smaller and declining more quickly than previously thought. Lack of ecology knowledge limits our understanding of, and ability to manage, potential threats impeding recovery of this declining population. Trump administration oks nighttime airgun blasts that threaten endangered cook inlet beluga whales. Federal and state agencies organized a beluga whale count event saturday around anchorage that was aimed at bringing people together to spotlight the endangered cook inlet species. The dead humpback whale that had been floating near the port of anchorage last week has washed ashore at kincaid park, drawing groups of onlookers monday and prompting federal officials to warn. The tribal tanf program provides temporary cash assistance to families with children to help them become selfsufficient through services that include career planning, training and educational assistance, and child care assistance and information.
In 2008, cook inlet belugas were listed as endangered, and still numbers continued to drop. Federal register takes of marine mammals incidental to. Given the total population is only about 350 individuals. Cook inlet beluga population declining faster than. This project is a cooperative effort amongst the national marine mammal laboratory and the alaska regional office, the cook inlet marine mammal council, and an organization of native hunters. Still, the reasons why cook inlet belugas are disappearing are still largely a mystery to researchers. Anchorage, alaska the trump administration published a new permit today that aims to allow hilcorp alaska to conduct seismic airgun blasting in cook inlet at night. The endangered beluga whale is not showing the hoped for recovery, but rather a continued trend of gradual population decline. Alaska sealife center the calf has gained 60 pounds since he was rescued after. Tamara mcguire, for their work in developing the first draft of this recovery plan for the cook inlet beluga whale.
Cook inlet beluga whales still declining marine science today. The population of endangered beluga whales in southcentral alaskas cook inlet continues to decline, federal marine mammal authorities announced tuesday. We also participated as a party to the formal rulemaking that established limits on the allowable taking of cook inlet beluga. This video spotlights the different research projects underway to help recover this species. When you purchase our nautical charts app, you get all the great marine chart app features like fishing spots, along with cook inlet marine chart. Visit between juneearly september for humpback, minke whales and orcas. Whale protection is bolstered as palin objects the new york. About 375 whales have been counted in cook inlet each of the last two years, according to scientists with the national marine fisheries service. Cook inlet belugas are one of five beluga populations in u. Scientists estimated that the population size is between 250 and 317, with a median estimate of 279. The cook inlet beluga whale population is the most critically endangered in the world. Only 1 beluga whale was found in lower cook inlet, 5173 were counted near the susitna river, 9161 were seen in knik arm and 2629 were counted in chickaloon bay.
Using machine learning to detect beluga whale calls in. Cook inlet update this document is a description of resource harvest monitoring being conducted during 1987 and 1988 in the cook inlet area under the purview of cook inlet communities project of the fy 87 and 88 budget process. However, it is not known what impact these activities had on the beluga whale population. Cook inlet alaska pics are available as alaska stock photos, fine art decor prints, and many as photo greeting cards. Citc provides social, educational and employment services to alaska natives and native americans living in the cook inlet region. The coastal marine institute at the university of alaska fairbanks s school of fisheries. Cook inlet beluga whales benefit from protections afforded by the mmpa.
Situated in the north pacific ocean, it is bounded by the kenai peninsula on the east and extends northeast for 220 miles 350 km, narrowing from 80 to 9 miles to 14 km. Cook inlet beluga whale center for biological diversity. It is one of two members of the family monodontidae, along with the narwhal, and the only member of the genus delphinapterus. Cook inlet beluga whale acknowledgements recovery plan ii acknowledgements.
Federal register endangered and threatened species. Study goals and objectives the goals of this study are threefold. The subsistence use of beluga whale in cook inlet by. The air guns can drown out whale calls over thousands of miles, and at close range they can cause permanent hearing loss and other serious injuries. The population of endangered beluga whales in alaskas cook inlet continues to decline, federal marine mammal authorities announced tuesday, jan. To download the assessment of the prey availability and oilrelated contaminants in winter habitat of cook inlet beluga whales report, click here. Groups give notice they will sue to protect beluga whales. Noaas office of coast survey has developed a digital elevation model dem for cook inlet as part of their larger scale circulation modeling project in the region. Recovery plan for cook inlet belugas focuses on biggest. Alaska beluga monitoring partnership citizen science. Artificial intelligence makes a splash in efforts to.
Beluga whale hexacopter survey post 4 noaa fisheries. Murkowski sees bad math in cook inlet critical habitat decision designation harmful, uncecessary, hurts economy. Watching for whales during the cook inlet beluga count. Feb 15, 2018 there are five populations of beluga whales in alaska, but only the cook inlet population is endangered. Alaskas cook inlet beluga whales continue population. The beluga whale population in alaska is exposed to many threats, such as pollution, energy exploration, commercial and recreational fishing, habitat degradation, human exploitation, and underwater noise. Feds release plan to stem decline of cook inlet belugas. Noaa scientists are using an unmanned aerial system, a hexacopter, to collect photographs of the endangered cook inlet beluga whale. Noaa fisheries began conducting acoustic research on beluga whales in cook inlet. The inlet is fed by the susitna, matanuska, and kenai rivers. Two environmental groups gave formal notice friday, jan. Anchorage, alaska ap two environmental groups gave formal notice friday that they will sue to protect endangered alaska beluga whales from problems caused by. Whale alert is a free iphoneipad application for fishermen, recreational boaters, industry partners, biologists, and volunteer networks to share.
Whale watching tour in prince william sound and the gulf of alaska. June through september is cool to cold on the water and subject to extreme changes, you may incounter fog or rain during your trip. The isolated cook inlet beluga whale population must also contend with the increasingly perilous and industrialized waters near anchorage, alaskas. Cook inlet tribal council alaska native tribal nonprofit. Of particular concern in cook inlet is the local population of endangered beluga whales. Cook inlet, alaska article about cook inlet, alaska by the. The sum of the aerial estimates using median counts from each site, not corrected for missed whales ranged from 217 to 264 whales, depending on survey day. Cook inlet beluga whale habitat and prey cook inlet regional. Cook inlet beluga whale habitat and prey in 2011, cook inlet rcac submitted a proposal to the kenai peninsula borough kpb to address categories of research needs expressed by the cook inlet beluga whale conservation plan, as well as in the kpb cook inlet beluga whale research study. The cook inlet beluga whale was designated as a depleted stock under the mmpa in 2000, and a draft conservation plan has been published 70 fr 12853. Beluga whale alliance monitors cook inlet belugas glacier. This population was listed as endangered in 2008, with hopes that the population would begin to recover in the.
A genetically distinct population, this regions belugas never stray from the. Beluga whale in alaska there are different stocks of beluga whales found in the waters around the states coastline. The port of anchorage is at the far end of the inlet. Roms 3d data assimilation 3dvar yi chao, nasa jet propulsion lab jpl model 3d circulation with tides. The conservation plan is comprehensive and provides. Legal petition filed to halt blasting that violates federal rule. Alaskas cook inlet beluga whales continue decline ap news. Cook inlet beluga whales are impacted by a variety of anthropogenic activities, including coastal development, oil and gas exploration, shipping and military.
Information on educational marine tours for viewing humpback, orca, beluga whales and more in southcentral alaska. They want to estimate the length of individual whales and learn more about why it has been slow to recover despite many efforts to help it. Guide to marine mammals in cook inlet download completed data forms example download akbmp monitoring orientation presentation download monitoring site locations download photoid project image capture guidelines download. Of those five, the cook inlet population is the smallest and has declined by about seventyfive percent since 1979.
First ever rehabilitated cook inlet beluga calf indie. Survey shows continuing population decline for cook inlet. Photo by paul wadenoaa the decline of the white beluga whales in the inlet in view of anchorage and other communities in southcentral alaska has been going on for decades. Cook inlet is a bit of a drive and traffic can really back up during the summer months. Cook inlet stretches 180 miles 290 kilometers from anchorage. Cook inlet beluga whale recovery plans criteria for recovery. Potential impacts of noise on endangered beluga whales in. Last week the eia team was in alaska to gather footage for an upcoming short film about the critically endangered cook inlet beluga whales.
The baffling case of the belugas that wont bounce back. Sep 19, 2017 last week the eia team was in alaska to gather footage for an upcoming short film about the critically endangered cook inlet beluga whales. The marine navigation app provides advanced features of a marine chartplotter including adjusting water level offset and custom depth shading. Oct 22, 2009 earlier this month noaa fisheries services published a survey showing the declining trend of beluga whale population in the cook inlet. Tvr helps alaska native and american indian individuals with. Noaa designates critical habitat for cook inlet beluga whale. It is one of two members of the family monodontidae, along. For a unique wildlife experience, there are occasional sightings of the cook inlet beluga whale, an endangered subspecies of beluga whale. Images collected on belugas count day will help the cook inlet beluga whale photo id project. Environmental groups sue to halt alaska oil drilling after. Noaa fisheries began conducting acoustic research on beluga whales in cook inlet in 2008.
The team also participated in the cook inlet belugas count day, a citizen science and awareness raising event, organized by noaa. The marine mammal commission has focused on efforts to conserve the cook inlet beluga whale since the mid1990s. A cook inlet beluga whale calf, left, and an adult breach near anchorage in this 2009 photo. Cook inlet anchorage 2020 all you need to know before you. The agency in january 2017 released a cook inlet beluga whale recovery plan. The beluga or white whale, delphinapterus leucas, is an arctic and subarctic species of cetacean. Today, noaa fisheries released its biennial abundance estimate for endangered cook inlet beluga whales. Anchorage, alaska ap the population of endangered beluga whales in alaskas cook inlet continues to decline, federal marine. Like the legendary moby dick, the fullgrown beluga whale is snowy white. Photo by david merron photographygetty images click below to listen to the calls of beluga whales against the whir of a passing ship in the cook inlet near anchorage. Environmental groups give notice theyll sue to protect cook inlet. Cook inlet the cook inlet beluga whales can been seen early spring through fall from kachemak bay in homer all along the inlet waters north to anchorage. But the beluga whales native to alaskas cook inlet hardly swim so free into the open ocean.
While federal agencies such as noaa national oceanic and atmospheric association work to conserve belugas, there are a number of other endangered species that require conservation efforts and the money tied to them. Here are some opportunities to get involved from the safety of your own home virtual opportunities the alaska beluga monitoring partnership akbmp is a collaboration between several organizations that offer opportunities for volunteer citizen scientists to contribute to endangered beluga monitoring efforts in alaskas cook inlet. The national marine fisheries service nmfs gratefully acknowledges the cook inlet beluga whale recovery team cibrt, led by dr. Public laws 10631 1999 and 106553 2000 established a moratorium on cook inlet beluga whale harvests unless such taking occurs pursuant to a cooperative. A final conservation plan is available see addresses. With new analysis methods today there are even fewer whales than previously thought less than 300, and steadily declining from there. Oct 18, 2008 whale protection is bolstered as palin objects. It is also known as the white whale, as it is the only cetacean of this colour.
Acoustic monitoring of beluga whale interactions with cook. Yet unlike herman melvilles mostly fictitious albino sperm whale, which had only captain ahab to deal with, the beluga swims in an ocean chockfull of dangers such as pollution, oil drilling and global warming. Acoustic monitoring of beluga whale interactions with cook inlet tidal energy project february 5, 2014 page 3 of 29 the environmental assessment of future cook inlet tidal energy projects, including orpcs east foreland tidal energy project and any tidal energy developments at fire island. The shores in the south are high, rocky, and heavily indented, while those in the north are lowlying. In 2008, cook inlet beluga whales were listed as endangered. A decade after the cook inlet beluga was listed as endangered in 2008, its population has shown no signs of recovery. Noaa releases new abundance estimate for endangered cook. Cook inlet beluga whale habitat and prey in 2011, cook inlet rcac submitted a proposal to the kenai peninsula borough kpb to address categories of research needs expressed by the cook inlet beluga whale conservation plan, as well as in the kpb cook inlet beluga whale. Cook inlet beluga whale habitat and prey cook inlet. Cook inlet operational forecast system ciofs rich patchen and lyon lanerolle, noaa. Alaskas cook inlet beluga whales continue decline federal marine mammal authorities say the population of endangered beluga whales in alaskas cook inlet continues to decline. Scientists believe noise from a variety of human activities may be a concern for the whales recovery. A sea life rescue center in alaska is rehabilitating an 11weekold cook inlet beluga whale, an endangered species.
Cook inlet beluga whale recovery plans criteria for recovery are unrealistic juneau the cook inlet beluga whale recovery plan finalized today by the national marine fisheries service contains untenable recovery criteria that could impede status updates, limit stakeholder acceptance, and unnecessarily extend regulatory hurdles to development. Noaa fisheries has included belugas on their list of the eight most threatened species the agency monitors. We also participated as a party to the formal rulemaking that established limits on the allowable taking of cook inlet beluga whales by alaska natives for subsistence. Lisa murkowski ralaska said in a prepared statement, i appreciate that the national marine fisheries service has tried to identify the most important areas.
Any beluga whales counted will be entered into the cook inlet beluga whale photoid sightings map and the cook inlet beluga whale ecosystem portal which is used by cook inlet beluga managers and researchers to help assess location and abundance information. Many scientists and other stakeholders are interested in the bathymetry of cook inlet for circulation modeling, navigation, and other purposes. Sep 19, 2017 the local organization inlet keeper is a good place to learn more about the cook inlet beluga whales. The new estimate says just 279 beluga whales are left in the cook inlet, down from 1,300 in 1979. Anchorage, alaska ktuu the endangered cook inlet beluga whale population is the lowest on record with a median estimate of only 279 belugas according to the latest noaa fisheries assessment. Cook inlet inlet, alaska, united states britannica. Cook inlet, branch of the gulf of alaska, alaska, u. In response to the proposal by the national oceanic and atmospheric administration noaa to designate at least onethird of cook inlet as critical habitat for beluga whales, u. Improving passive acoustic monitoring applications to the. Whale watching enthusiasts flock to the cook inlet, prince william sound, southeast alaska and kodiak where you are almost guaranteed to see these acrobatic sea creatures breaching, tailslapping, spyhopping, charging and flipper slapping in family groups, sometimes for hours at a time. File in this august 2009, file photo, provided by the department of defense, a cook inlet beluga whale calf, left, and an adult breach near anchorage, alaska. The cook inlet beluga whale stock was designated as depleted under the mmpa 65 fr 34590, 21 may 2000, and on 22 october 2008, nmfs listed cook inlet beluga whales as endangered under the esa 73 fr 62919, 22 october 2008. Critical habitat for cook inlet beluga whales proposed. Anchorage, alaska ap the population of endangered beluga whales in alaskas cook inlet continues to decline, federal marine mammal authorities announced tuesday.
Beluga whales are sometimes called canaries of the sea because of their range of vocal sounds. The dead whale floating in cook inlet has washed ashore at. However, cook inlet is surrounded by the most populated region of alaska. Trump administration oks nighttime airgun blasts that.
Survey shows continuing population decline for cook inlet belugas. Researchers puzzle over why beluga whales in alaska havent. The alaska department of fish and game conducts all programs and activities free from discrimination on the basis of sex, color, race, religion, national origin, age. Federally endangered listing information, alaska department of fish and game. Any sounds the belugas make below 1 khz are masked by the ships noise. Popular flightseeing excursions allow for dramatic aerial views of the alaskan landscape, while charter boats offer salmon and halibut fishing trips. Select footage of aerial photogrammetry research in cook inlet beluga whales using a hexacopter drone, and beluga whales in cook inlet.
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