NOAA hosts "hunkered down" whale drawing and naming contest

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Recovery Implementation Task Force is hosting a beluga whale naming contest, hunkered down style.

You can help celebrate the spring return of the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale to Turnagain Arm while you're hunkered down at home.

Simply download, print, and color NOAA's

, use a toy beluga or design your own beluga. Then, hang that beluga whale in your window for others walking or driving by to spot.

Participants should name their beluga and enter that name into the Name a Whale contest to name a beluga whale in the Cook Inlet Photo ID catalog. You can send the beluga names to this email address: dfg.dwc.belugawhales@alaska.gov.

A winner will be drawn and announced on May 15th.