Subsistence fishermen along the Kuskokwim River are reporting water on the is low, and nets are coming up mostly empty. Other fishermen, facing tight restrictions and cultural tension, have decided to refuse to fish.
Wildlife
Data crunchers work to build comprehensive Alaska salmon database
Scientists are gathering temperature data to determine what warming waters mean for salmon. There’s still a lot scientists don’t know and it’s become a hot topic. One of the first studies in Alaska was published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences this month, as part of a larger effort to design a statewide database on all…
Brown bear shot on Douglas Island — the first documented kill in decades
A homeowner shot and killed a brown bear on Douglas Island last week – the first brown bear documented on the island in more than 40 years.
District court upholds appeal, Beringia segment of bearded seals listed as ‘threatened’
A portion of bearded seals are again listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act, because of the latest judgment from the U.S. District Court for Alaska.
Sea lion feeding hot spots have reliable, not necessarily abundant, food
Reliable food sources are more important to Steller sea lions than abundant prey.
Cape Greig walrus are back; Fish and Game plans change fishery boundary again
The Department of Fish and Game will pull the north line of the Ugashik District back away from the haulout site again, Salomone said, the same as last year. The exact coordinates will be published with the first announcement from Fish and Game about June 1.
How the biggest animal on Earth got so big
Whales might be the largest animals on the planet, but they haven’t always been so huge. Researchers say the ocean giants only became enormous fairly recently, and over a short period of time.
State House passes bill banning wolf harvest in northeast Denali Park
The Alaska House has passed a bill last week banning wolf harvest on a section of state land bordering Denali National Park. House Bill 105 prohibits wolf hunting and trapping on the park’s northeastern edge, where a few Denali wolves are harvested each year.
State asks for mule deer sightings due to moose winter tick concern
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is asking for the public’s help in reporting sightings of mule deer around the Interior.
Scientists sneak a peek at how ladybugs fold their wings
Ladybugs are famous for their spotted wing cases. But researchers in Japan were interested in what was happening under that colorful exterior: How delicate wings were folding origami-like into place.