Physical–biological interactions in a subarctic estuary: How do environmental and physical factors impact the movement and survival of beluga whales in Cook Inlet, Alaska?

The annual abundance population estimates of the endangered beluga whales in Cook Inlet (CI), Alaska, have indicated a decline in the population over the past decades and no convincing explanation has been offered so far for this trend. Satellite tracking data of about 20 Cook Inlet beluga whales (CIBW) over some 5-year period, as well as annual population counts and stranding reports were compared with environmental observations. The seasonal...