Unidentified Marine Mammal

Observation: Several weeks ago, my nephew David Frankson, photographed a sea mammal on the Chukchi Sea outside of Kivalina, Alaska but we could not figure out what type it was. It has not moored on the beach yet. It may have gone with the tide.

Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program Consult:

Gay Sheffield, MAP agent writes, "Great that your observer took such a good photos! This is a beluga whale. Through the calm water, you can see the white-colored body and a good outline of the bulbous forehead. Hope that helps." -Gay

LEO says:

It is hard to tell the scale. We wonder if this is perhaps a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). The animal seems to be turned over (belly-up). Strandings can be reported to the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The hotline number at NMFS statewide 24-hour Stranding Hotline: (877) 9AK-RPRD or (877) 925-7773. Online Notification Form. The Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services (A.V.P.S.) have been notified of this observation, and Marine Mammal Strandings, Alaska Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries. M. Tcheripanoff

Resources:

Alaska Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network – Report a Stranded/Beached Marine Animal: respond to stranded (sometimes called "beached") marine mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions), we work with volunteer stranding networks in all coastal states, coordinated by regional marine mammal stranding coordinators.

Alaska SeaLife Center – The Alaska Stranding Network works with the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).