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The Cook Inlet Beluga Whale: a Population in Decline

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The Cook Inlet Beluga Whale: a Population in Decline A Population in Decline Cook Inlet belugas are an isolated, endangered population of whales. They live year-round in the muddy waters of Cook Inlet, Alaska, and swim up silty glacial The Cook Inlet rivers in search of food. They are genetically different from other beluga whales found in Alaska, or anywhere else in the world. Historically a valuable part of the regional Alaska Native subsistence diet, they have not been hunted since 2005 due to their drastic population decline. Despite recovery efforts the 10-year (2008-2018) population trend is declining 2.3% per year. Once so abundant that white whales were visible ‘as far as the eye could see,’ sightings are less Alaska frequent. The public is encouraged to report all beluga sightings to provide scientists with clues to help solve the mystery of their lack of recovery. Region Beluga Whale: Anchorage Alaska’s largest city is Shallow Water adjacent to beluga habitat. Hunting Belugas Tidal flats in upper Cook The salt water of Cook Inlet Inlet provide features stretches from the Gulf of How to Help Potential Threats to Recovery Commercial whaling and sport favorable for beluga whale Alaska north 180 miles to hunting occurred periodically feeding, breeding, and Anchorage where it prior to the passage of the nursing. branches into the Knik Arm Marine Mammal Protection Act ⦿ Catastrophic events (natural disasters, chemical spills, mass strandings) Depending on ice thickness and Turnagain Arm. Report all beluga of 1972. H and extent, belugas may I ⦿ Cumulative effects of multiple stressors Alaska Natives legally harvested remain here in winter, belugas for culture, subsistence, moving offshore. whale sightings G ⦿ Noise (ship traffic, construction projects, oil & gas activities, airplanes) and handicraft purposes prior to and after it’s passage. H See a live whale? ⦿ Disease agents (pathogens, parasites, harmful algal blooms) Tell us at www.cookinletbelugas.com M ⦿ Habitat loss or degradation Provide photos to contribute to research on E ⦿ Reduction in prey (overfishing, climate change) habitat use, social structures, and reproduction. D ⦿ Unauthorized take (entanglement, vessel strikes, poaching, harassment) See a stranded, injured or dead whale? Call the NOAA Fisheries Alaska ⦿ Pollution (sewage, runoff, discharge, dumping) Opportunistic L Feeders 24-hour hotline: O ⦿ Predation Belugas eat fish like smelt, cod, sculpin, and flatfish, and W invertebrates like squid, octopus, 1-877-925-7773 crab, snails, shrimp, and sandworms. Nearshore Much of their blubber layer is Climate change is expected to affect the listed threats gained while consuming River mouths are Learn about outreach events seasonally abundant fish like prime feeding areas. salmon and eulachon. Belugas travel for and community whale Deep Water miles up rivers following fish runs. Belugas spend more monitoring programs: time offshore during winter months diving deeper in www.facebook.com/BelugasCount search of prey. Research www.facebook.com/AlaskaBMP Fast Facts Sound Science Beluga are born grey and Listening to whales using sound recording lighten to white as they reach reproductive age instruments anchored in and near river mouths Live Whale Sampling (8-10 years). helps detect where and when belugas feed, and Skin and blubber samples are used to estimate age, identify Adults are 13-16 feet long, weigh up to 3150 1300 human-caused noise that may displace whales. individual whales, determine parent-offspring relationships, pounds, and live up to 70 years. 1979 reproductive status, and contaminant loads. Abundance Prey Tell Dead Whale Tales Canaries of the Sea By collecting and analyzing water samples in Dental Records 700 Necropsies may reveal disease, human interaction, such as ship Making high-pitched calls areas where belugas feed, environmental DNA and whistles, belugas use Like tree rings, beluga 600 strikes, or contaminant exposure and information on diet, age, sex, teeth have annual (eDNA) may tell us which fish species belugas echolocation to sense and reproductive status. their surroundings, locate growth layers. 500 are eating prey and communicate. Measuring chemical signature (isotopes) in 400 All in the Family these growth layers can 300 Aquariums are Scientific Gems reveal how a whales’ Information from other, healthy beluga populations help scientists explore feeding habits have 200 New methods are tested before working with changed over it’s life. factors that might be limiting recovery. Genetic data provides insight into 100 wild whales like hearing levels or assessing belugas of Number the social structure within a beluga population. 0 reactions to tracking devices, noise, or drones. Photos and Photogrammetry Measuring food consumption and energy Citizen Science Images and videos collected during shore, vessel, drone, expenditure provide insight into how much food Members of the public volunteer to collect important data on beluga and aerial surveys help scientists evaluate population 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 whales need. Sampling hormones provide distribution and habitat use in nearshore waters of Cook Inlet. These data size, distribution, patterns of habitat use, reproduction, 1 year of growth YEAR insight on stress levels and reproductive status. are shared with researchers and scientists, contributing to recovery efforts. survival, body condition, and social structure. Cook Inlet Beluga Recovery Timeline Working Together to Recover Cook Inlet Belugas 1987 1993 1999 2005 2007 2011 2016 2018 Beluga hunting Methodology developed to Voluntary moratorium on taking Draft Conservation Proposed rule 3,013 square Recovery Plan Cook Inlet Beluga Whale The primary role of the Committees of the Task Force household interviews document distribution and belugas by subsistence hunters. Plan completed2. to list as miles of Cook finalized2. Recovery Implementation 1 2 in upper Cook Inlet abundance of belugas Rules established2 to monitor the Endangered . Inlet becomes Gains status as a Task Force established. is to engage the expertise of researchers, managers, communicators, and 2 2 throughout Cook Inlet . beluga harvest include collecting Critical Habitat . NOAA Species in Annual aerial beluga the lower left jaw is collected the Spotlight2. various other stakeholders to advise NOAA Fisheries and the State of Alaska, population surveys begin2. and reporting requirements. Department of Fish and Game on specific topics or issues relating to Cook Inlet beluga whale recovery. Research Committee: understanding and monitoring the Cook Inlet beluga population. 1982-83 1988 1995 2000 2006 2008 2012 2017 1. Alaska Department of Aerial beluga The Alaska Beluga Hunters begin Listed as depleted under the Status Review finalized2. Listed as Endangered under Biennial aerial 5-year Status Fish and Game Habitat and Threats Management: 3 2 2 2. NOAA Fisheries survey in upper Whale Committee is reporting numbers Marine Mammal Protection Act. Petition to list as the ESA . surveys begin . Review assessing, preventing, mitigating or abating threats 3. Formerly the Alaska and Cook Inlet1 formed bringing of whales landed Recognized as a Distinct 2 finalized2. Endangered under the Conservation Plan finalized . Inuvialuit Beluga Whale to the population’s recovery. together subsistence and struck but lost 4 Population Segment on the Endangered Species Act . Regulations establish long- Committee hunters, scientists, and during the Endangered Species Act term limits on the maximum 4. The petitioners are several managers. subsistence hunt. Candidate Species List. conservation organizations Outreach Committee: garnering public support number of belugas that may and one individual. be taken by Alaska Natives2. through improved outreach and education..
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