Other populations of killer whales are doing well, but two pods that swam through the spill are not.
Wildlife
Wildfire smoke pushes migrating birds hundreds of miles out of their way
“I was glued to my computer for days, trying to figure out what these birds were doing, because it was so clearly, obviously, not normal.”
Petersburg assembly calls for tailings dam ban and a pause on British Columbia mining permits
The resolution asks for a pause on permitting for new mine projects until there’s an agreement between the U.S. and Canada on protecting rivers from mining pollution.
Central Southeast Alaska moose hunt sets new record
Nearly half this year’s haul, or 61 moose, came from Kupreanof Island.
Biden administration lets stand a judgment thwarting Willow, a ConocoPhillips drilling project in Arctic
Conservation groups are cheering the Biden administration’s decision not to appeal a judgment that reversed approval for ConocoPhillips’ plan to develop drilling sites in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
Upper Lynn Canal brown bear hunt ends early
An emergency order issued Tuesday ended the fall brown bear hunt at midnight on Wednesday after opening on Sept. 15.
Alaskans have been spotting turkey vultures all over the state this year
Bird biologist Jim Johnson says there’s broader evidence that the nomadic turkey vulture is expanding north.
Threatened by melting sea ice, polar bears’ status up for review under Endangered Species Act
The review could result in polar bears being “uplisted” to endangered, with further protections, or de-listed altogether.
Fat Bear Week sees record voter turnout
Almost 800,000 people voted this year as their favorite bears at Katmai National Park packed on the pounds for winter — over 100,000 more voters than last year.
Researchers are asking for volunteer ‘walrus detectives’ to spot walruses from space
The WWF and British Antarctic Survey are hoping to track the number of Atlantic and Laptev walruses over five years to find out how much climate change may be affecting them.