Beluga last sighted near Whidbey

The beluga whale that first made an appearance in Puget Sound two weeks ago seems to have moved on.

The rare beluga whale that first made an appearance in Puget Sound two weeks ago seems to have moved on.

According to the Orca Network, the blubbery white whale was last sighted around 5:20 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14 off Lagoon Point near the Greenbank area. As of Monday night, no other sightings have been reported.

“It’s been stormy lately which could make it hard to see a beluga, but it’s possible the beluga has left Puget Sound and gone either west out the Strait of Juan de Fuca or north up the inside of Vancouver Island, or just found new places to hang out in the Salish Sea,” a Facebook post from the Orca Network read.

The cetacean first made headlines when it was spotted swimming in Commencement Bay near Tacoma on Sunday, Oct. 3.

It’s believed to be the first beluga that’s been in Puget Sound since 1940. The whale is more than 1,000 miles beyond the typical range for its species.

Experts had theorized that it might be so far off the beaten path in search of food, or it might not be feeling well.

“No particular health problem was ever identified,” Howard Garrett of the Orca Network said. “It was described as a bit thin, but not emaciated. It remained active and on the move the entire time in Puget Sound.”