Thanks to everyone for your patience as we scout our monitoring sites and determine which ones are thawed and accessible for safe and productive beluga monitoring. We are grateful to our partners and a few dedicated volunteers for getting out and checking the conditions at all six sites to determine when to open our session schedules to everyone. Mile Marker 95.3 Pullout and Kenai River are open for our current volunteers. There is, of course, still a good amount of ice floating by, depending on the tide, but there is open water, and the sites are accessible. However, Ship Creek, Twentymile River, The Point, and Kasilof River are still ice-filled, and/or access is difficult. As soon as we can, we will open the other sites. If you are a new volunteer, please be patient with us, as we do not have any sites open for you at this time. We need belugas and good conditions to be able to train you adequately.
New Volunteers
We had our virtual volunteer orientation on March 20th, and we are so thankful for everyone that joined us! The orientation was recorded and is linked below for anyone to watch or share with your communities, friends, and families. Everyone is welcome to volunteer with us; this is the first step to joining the team!
Two sites are open for monitoring; click below to sign up for a session. We will keep you informed as we open up the other sites. Make sure to bring many layers so you stay warm!
Every sighting is a valuable sighting when a species is endangered.
Spring 2023 Flyer: (Click, download, share, and spread the word!)
Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program Cook Inlet, Alaska
AKBMP is a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) program in collaboration with local partner organizations: Alaska Wildlife Alliance (AWA), Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC), Beluga Whale Alliance (BWA), Defenders of Wildlife Alaska (DOW), and Kenai Peninsula College (KPC).
