Beluga Whales
Cook Inlet Beluga Whales
Information specific to Cook Inlet belugas.
- Management and Recovery
- Endangered Species Act
- Research
- Development Projects in Cook Inlet
- Federal Regulations and Notices
- General Information (August 2008 brochure)
- Discovery Channel: Field Report on Endangered Beluga Whales of Cook Inlet
- Proposed Restricted Harvest Area
Other Alaska Beluga Whales
Information about Bering Sea belugas (Eastern Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, Eastern Bering Sea, Bristol Bay) and Cook Inlet belugas.
- Co-Management Agreements
- Stock Assessments
- Permits and Applications for Incidental Take Authorizations
- Research
Additional Information
About Beluga Whales
At birth, beluga whales are dark blue-gray in color, measure 3-5 feet long, and weigh 90-130 lbs. The color gradually lightens, usually turning white by age 5 or 6. Beluga whales grow to an average length of 15 ft. and can weigh more than 3,000 lbs. Generally, males are larger in size than females. Belugas are robust-bodied and have a blubber layer which can be as much as 5 inches thick. They are muscular creatures with a small rounded head, a short beak, and are quite mobile in comparison to other whales. The belugas have a narrow ridge that runs down the rear of their backs, which allows them to swim freely under floating ice. Also, the beluga is the only whale that can bend its neck. This helps them to maneuver easily and catch prey, using their 34 to 40 teeth, not for chewing, but for grabbing and tearing their prey, which is then swallowed whole. Belugas use sound to find their prey. They also use sound to communicate and navigate by producing a variety of clicks, chirps and whistles. More >>>
Contact Information
Barbara Mahoney
Marine mammal strandings, co-management, Cook Inlet beluga whales
(907) 271-3448
Barbara.Mahoney@noaa.gov
Mandy Migura
Cook Inlet beluga whales, marine mammal strandings
(907) 271-1332
Mandy.Migura@noaa.gov