Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries
We’re back! After a two-year hiatus, we are looking forward to again having an outdoor viewing and educational station as part of the Belugas Count! event. Look for us in Kenai where at our station you may:
Help spot and count critically endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales
Learn about Cook Inlet beluga life history
Find out about ongoing efforts to recovery the population and how you can help
Enjoy fun, family-friendly educational activities at the various stations along Cook Inlet
This celebration is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
Additional event details, including a map of station locations and viewing station times, will be provided on NOAA’s website as the event date approaches. To stay up-to-date, you can also follow the Belugas Count Facebook page.
About Cook Inlet beluga whales:
Beluga whales whistle, chirp, click and squeak—earning the moniker “canaries of the sea.” In the United States, these small, white whales can only be seen in Alaska. Of the five populations of belugas in Alaska, the Cook Inlet beluga population is the smallest and the only population that is endangered.
In October 2008, NOAA Fisheries listed Cook Inlet beluga whales as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. This species continues a downward population trend. At present, scientists estimate there are only approximately 279 beluga whales in Cook Inlet.
NOAA Fisheries has designated Cook Inlet beluga whales as one of eight “Species in the Spotlight” — species in need of a concerted effort by individuals, agencies, groups, tribes, institutions, and organizations large and small to survive. The goal is to have partners and interested members of the public work together to recover this species. Belugas Count! is an event designed to help inspire that.
