900x900 Beluga"> 〈1080p 2024〉

Recent aerial surveys estimated the Cook Inlet population between 290 and 386 individuals, a slight increase from previous counts.

Monitoring programs use high-resolution satellite imagery (like the VHR imagery from 2021) to estimate whale abundance in remote fiords. 900x900 Beluga">

Most belugas inhabit Arctic waters, but they can be found as far south as the Gulf of St. Lawrence . Conservation & Research Efforts Recent aerial surveys estimated the Cook Inlet population

Projects like Beluga Bits allow volunteers to help identify individual whales through underwater photography. Lawrence

Other Alaskan populations, such as those in Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea , remain stable and healthy.

Known as "canaries of the sea," belugas use complex sounds for navigation and social bonding.

This critically endangered population has seen a nearly 79% decline since 1979.