The Susitna River Delta as a calving ground: Tamara McGuire1, Amber Stephens1, Brad Goetz 1,2 Evidence from observation of a Cook Inlet beluga birth 1. LGL Alaska Research Associates, Inc. 2000 West International Airport Road, St C1 and the 2005-2015 seasonal and Anchorage, Alaska, USA 99502
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[email protected] geographic patterns of neonaten 2. Kincaid Elementary School, Anchorage, Alaska. occurrence in Upper Cook Inlet. .. ·.. Little Susitna . ,· River Background . .. Birth Observed .:- Sitsi/tia._. RrJ~r The scientific literature has not identified if distinct calving grounds and calving ':·:·:::·:-_.:::· Delta·:: -::-:.. ·· .,. ···· ·· · . :: ·: ...... ..· ••· ,_.. :_ ......: .-:::.·-: ::.- -:-.·· ..... :-: ·--.. ...... :-- ·_ ..·. :-:-:_..- ·.: ·:··- :" : . ·.. _-' .-_. .-._.:-: _._· : ._.-_: ::- _: _: __::·: . :·.. :.-_:.·_ ·. ·.. - ::·/ .. -.·· :·- ·. .... ' . We observed a CIBW birth on July 20, 2015 in the Susitna River Delta, . :··. .·:: . ::·.:··:- .... • .·: ·.···.-... ... ..-.·:. ....... •• seasons exist for endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales (CIBW), as they do with other ...,- ... -.-.-·. .. ..·. KnikArm ·:·-···.·.· . ' .- :_::_·.·,.·. ·.·, ..•_. .:·-. -:· :, ·. -. '• .. : ... -.-;-· .. .. ··-:::-· ._._. ...... -.·: ..... ·.. ·.-·.::-. Upper Cook Inlet Alaska. beluga populations. Specific calving grounds or seasonal calving periods for CIBW . .. have not been designated because births in the wild have not been previously _'-_: :'": .-·.-·.:.:,:,- • The birth took place during low tide, in shallow waters (~1.3m)