We appreciate your interest in our local shore-based beluga whale monitoring program. Belugas are an essential part of the Cook Inlet ecosystem. Your participation in our monitoring efforts will provide researchers, managers, and the public with valuable information on beluga distribution, behavior, and habitat use in this region. As a volunteer, you’ll acquire knowledge about these animals and their conservation needs, participate in field monitoring, and contribute to collecting scientific data on beluga habitat use. Becoming an AKBMP community scientist is an excellent way to support Cook Inlet beluga whale conservation, all while enjoying your local ecosystem!
AKBMP does not currently have a student internship program or remote volunteer opportunities. AKBMP is a local community science program, and due to a lack of program resources and personnel, we do not have the capacity to accommodate volunteer opportunities for short term, non-resident visitors. We appreciate your understanding.
WE HOST TWO MONITORING SEASONS Annually
Spring: March through late May | Fall: August through late November
HOW TO BECOME A BELUGA COMMUNITY SCIENTIST?
Step 1. Attend a volunteer orientation
Orientations (60-90 minutes) are held virtually at the start of each monitoring season. We provide you with information on our monitoring activities and instructions on following our monitoring protocols and using our datasheets during orientation. Our monitoring protocol provides a standardized method for conducting shore-based beluga monitoring. Our program enables the systematic collection of field observations so that our data can be used to support the management and conservation of these animals. The orientation will be recorded and posted here for viewing anytime during our season. All participants must be local Alaskan residents and at least 18 years of age unless accompanied by an adult guardian.
*signup for our newsletter to get season updates
NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION
Our virtual Spring 2026 volunteer orientation will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 from 6 to 7:30pm AKST. If you cannot attend the live virtual event, we’ve got you covered! A recording will be provided to all registrants to watch at their convenience. Please register at the link below to join us live or to receive the recording afterward.
Step 2. Complete volunteer form
Once you have attended (or watched) the virtual orientation and completed the steps provided during orientation, we will email you the volunteer form. It must be completed and submitted to the coordinator before you can attend any monitoring sessions for further training. You cannot access the session signup schedule until you complete this form.
Step 3. In-person monitoring training
You must signup for at least one monitoring session with a lead observer while belugas are present to get field training before monitoring on your own. You will need to be trained at each site you are interested in monitoring at. This way, we can make sure all of our volunteers are on the same page. You can signup for as many sessions with a lead observer as you want. We want you to feel confident and comfortable with our monitoring protocol.
You are ready to monitor!
Once you complete steps 1 -3, you are ready to monitor yourself! You can find everything you need under the “Monitor” tab. If you would like more information on becoming an Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program (AKBMP) volunteer, please email us at alaskabmp@gmail.com.
WHAT DOES A BELUGA COMMUNITY SCIENTIST DO?
MONITOR
We have a spring (March through May) and fall (August through November) and monitoring season where we have daily monitoring sessions. Each monitoring session lasts on average two hours and is scheduled around the tide for when belugas are known to be in the area. Volunteers can view and sign up to attend monitoring sessions on our AKBMP monitoring schedule, which will be available to volunteers after attending a monitoring orientation and submitting their volunteer forms. We ask that each volunteer commits to monitor a minimum of three sessions throughout the season (about a six-hour commitment in total); however, there is no maximum limit on how many sessions a volunteer may attend.
DATA ENTRY
Volunteers are expected to use the AKBMP datasheets to collect observations and submit their data on an online platform after their sessions. The datasheets and data entry process are straightforward, and we provide training opportunities so the volunteer feels comfortable. You will get extensive training from the volunteer orientation and the lead observer training sessions. We encourage our volunteers to take photos of the belugas during their sessions and submit them with their data if you like taking photographs.
STEWARDSHIP
As a AKBMP beluga community scientist, you will learn about Cook Inlet belugas and their conservation needs. Participating in beluga monitoring will give you first-hand experience with these animals and their habitat. The information you collect will provide researchers, managers, and the public with valuable information about this endangered species.
OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED:
If you are not interested in participating in our shore-based monitoring sessions, you can still help with Cook Inlet beluga conservation. When adventuring around Cook Inlet, it is common to see beluga whales. These sightings are valuable, and you can report them!
- Not sure what information is important, click here to find out what to write down.
- Report your sightings to our collaborator, Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Photo-ID Project. Go to www.cookinletbelugas.com and click “Report live beluga sightings” and fill in the information you have. If you took photos, upload those here too!
Every sighting is a valuable sighting when a species is endangered!
