Since 1998, pup production on St. Paul Island has dropped more than 50 percent. The cause of the ongoing decline is a mystery.
"Pribilof Islands"
No lichen, no problem: St. Paul’s reindeer thrive without essential food
On St. Paul, reindeer are responsible for decimating the lichen, but around the world there’s a different culprit, climate change. What’s happening on St. Paul could be a preview of how more northern reindeer herds may adapt to a warmer planet.
Researchers aim to protect the Bering Sea’s rare blue king crab while preserving fisheries
As the blue king crab population crashes, fishermen on St. Paul Island face more restrictions to reduce bycatch. But the rules to protect the crab also make it difficult to do research on the species.
Homegrown and hydroponic: Veggies are St. Paul’s new subsistence food
When you think of the Pribilof Islands, what food comes to mind? Probably not produce. The people of St. Paul Island are working to change that. With a federal grant, they’ve built a greenhouse. It’s so productive, they’re giving away the produce.
Salmon fishing in St. Paul: Building a new subsistence resource
For many Alaskans, subsistence is all about salmon. In St. Paul, that isn’t the case. Fur seals and seabirds are the primary subsistence foods in the Pribilof Island community, but the tribal council thinks enhancing a small salmon run on the island could provide food and a lot more.
Bringing science home in St. Paul: Former student becomes teacher
Nineteen-year-old Dallas Roberts grew up in St. Paul attending Bering Sea Days. After a year at college, he’s back in the Pribilofs teaching kids about the island’s greenhouse.
With Saildrones, researchers learn more about St. Paul’s fur seals
Understanding how northern fur seals respond to changes in the distribution and abundance of fish could explain the mysterious decline of fur seals in the Pribilof Islands.
What killed St. Paul’s woolly mammoths?
For the first time, scientists have pinpointed the date — 5,600 years ago — and a likely cause of extinction. They believe the environmental changes that killed the animals mirror today’s climate changes.
Fur seal numbers boom on Aleutians’ remote Bogoslof Island
Northern fur seals have been declining for decades in their stronghold on St. Paul Island in Alaska’s Pribilof Islands, but their numbers are taking off a couple hundred miles to the south.
String of earthquakes shakes up Pribilof Island
More than a dozen earthquakes have been recorded in between St. Paul and St. George since Friday afternoon.