Status Review: Cook Inlet Beluga Whale DPS (Delphinapterus leucas) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation
March 02, 2017
This is the first, formal Status Review for the Cook Inlet beluga whale Distinct Population Segment (DPS) since listing. Prior to the endangered listing decision in 2008, Cook Inlet belugas were listed as a Candidate Species under the ESA. Previous reviews of the status of this population were undertaken in 1988, 1992, 1999, 2006, and 2008.
The first draft of the 5-year review was completed at the Marine Mammal Laboratory (MML), referencing criteria and recovery actions provided in the 2015 Draft Recovery Plan for the Cook Inlet Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas), and papers published since release of the Draft Recovery Plan in May 2015. Upon finalization of the Recovery Plan in December 2016, this document was updated to reflect recovery criteria and recovery actions identified in the final recovery plan (NMFS 2016). Reviews were completed by Kim Shelden and Rod Hobbs (MML), Mandy Migura and Greg Balogh (AKR).