NOAA interested in reported sighting of a grey whale calf near Ship Creek

Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say they are very interested to hear that a grey whale calf was reported swimming in Ship Creek Sunday evening.

Many Migura, the Alaska Region Marine Mammal Stranding coordinator, says it’s unusual to hear of a grey whale near Anchorage and even more unusual to hear of a grey whale calf swimming alone in Ship Creek.

According to Migura, a whale swimming in water that shallow is at risk of becoming stranded.

Migura says, “Like most members of the public,” NOAA learnt about the reported sighting through a story aired on KTUU.

Initial reports said the whale was swimming up Ship Creek but Daniel Butts, one of the three men who spotted the whale, told Migura that the whale was in fact swimming passed Ship Creek out of Knik Arm into the middle of Cook Inlet.

A location that lessens the risk of stranding.

On Sunday, Butts estimated the calf to be 15-feet in length, a size Migura says would be “awfully small” for a grey whale calf.

According to Migura, that size would be typical for a grey whale at birth.

Migura says that while the calf was swimming alone it may not necessarily have become separated from its mother. The mother may have been swimming in deeper water and surfacing less frequently than the calf.

Currently, Migura says that NOAA has not received any other sightings of the whale and they also have not received any information that would suggest the grey whale calf is in distress and needs an intervention from NOAA.

Migura says that if the whale - or any other marine mammal - is found stranded, that members of the public should call NOAA’s stranding hotline at 1877 – 925 – 7773.