SeaWorld Commemorates Five Years Since the First Successful Rescue and Rehabilitation of an Endangered Cook Inlet Beluga Calf
SAN ANTONIO, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaWorld commemorates five years since a community of conservation groups came together to complete the first-ever rescue and rehabilitation of an endangered Cook Inlet beluga calf. Residing at SeaWorld since March 2018 when National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) deemed the beluga, Tyonek, non-releasable, his care and study continues to advance the understanding of beluga behavior and health vital to protecting this endangered species in the wild. SeaWorld's dedication to beluga whale research, education and conservation has assisted research in more than 20 published scientific studies about the species.
- Because of the actions taken by this community of dedicated conservationists, we are making a meaningful impact on the preservation of endangered species like the Cook Inlet beluga."
- In September 2017, Tyonek was found stranded in Cook Inlet, Alaska by state and federal wildlife officers and reported to stranding network experts.
- In a separate example, the Alaska SeaLife Center recently published a research paper on beluga calf response including contributions from SeaWorld.
- Cook Inlet beluga whales are one of nine species in NOAA Fisheries' "Species in the Spotlight" initiative because their population is endangered with fewer than 300 individuals.