We want to give a big THANK YOU to all who participated in beluga whale monitoring this spring along Cook Inlet! Without you, all of the data collected on this critically endangered species could not have been possible. We also want to extend our gratitude to AWA's Kenai Coordinator, Teresa Becher, for putting in so much time and effort to help monitor the mouth of the Kenai River. Thank you all for a wonderful spring season!
To find out more on this project and our involvement as part of the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership (AKBMP), and if you're interested in helping monitor this upcoming fall season, visit AKBMP's website for more information.
Both sites combined, 28 people monitored for 141.1 hours! We had our first beluga sighting during a Kasilof River session and three sessions with sightings by the end of the season. This is fantastic news! At Kenai River, we only had 10 out of 62 days where we didn't have someone monitoring a session on the river. This excellent teamwork and outstanding commitment amounted to valuable hours monitored to help gain more knowledge about this endangered species.
Kenai River Stats: There were 22 citizen scientists who monitored for 103.9 hours over 49 days. The spring monitoring season took place over 62 days, and there were 26 days with beluga sightings.
Kasilof River Stats: There were 13 citizen scientists who monitored for 37.2 hours over 18 days. The spring monitoring season took place over 63 days, and there were three days with beluga sightings.
