Cook Inlet, Alaska belugas (CIB) (Delphinapterus leucas ) are a genetically and geographically isolated wild stock, residing in the upper Inlet's waters year-round. Four studies were conducted to help evaluate CIB health and survival threats: 1) characterization of hematology and serum chemistry values in Bristol Bay belugas (BBB), a healthy growing population, for comparison to CIB, 2) characterization of hematology and serum chemistry variation patterns from captive belugas over 22 years, to provide methods applicable to wild populations such as CIB, 3) development of a model using anthropogenic and environmental factors to demonstrate CIB population trajectories based on survival and fecundity rates in a simulated population, and [...]
