Background Articles

The purported sighting caused a stir on St. Paul Island, a birding haven sometimes called the "Galapagos of the North" for its diversity of life. That's because stowaway rats can quickly populate and overrun remote islands, devastating bird populations.

Moose hunting in Alaska's Game Units 22C and 22D was closed after hunters quickly reached the quota, with a record 40 moose harvested in 22C in just two days.

The caribou population on the Nushagak Peninsula is thriving, with an estimated 600 caribou in the herd.

The article discusses the high fatality rate of rabies and its impact on poorer regions, emphasizing the need for accessible vaccinations and refrigeration for prevention.

The CDC's new dog entry rules, including a microchip requirement and stricter vaccination protocols, will uniquely affect Alaska, especially for those traveling with dogs under six months or through Canada.

The National Park Service has banned sport hunters from baiting bears in Alaska's National Park Service-managed Preserves, citing safety and wildlife conservation concerns.

After a steep population drop in Western Alaska’s reintroduced wood bison herd, a state biologist sees a plan for a new herd in the Interior as promising. But two tribal groups oppose it.

A potential rat sighting on St. Paul Island, which has maintained a rat-free status for over two decades, prompts urgent conservation efforts to protect local seabirds and wildlife.

In recent weeks, three human infections with the virus have been confirmed—all in dairy workers who had contact with sick cows. All three developed symptoms of eye infections known as conjunctivitis. The latest case, reported in Michigan this week, also involved respiratory symptoms more typical of a flu infection.

A federal bill aims to expand IHS duties to include veterinary care in rural Alaska, addressing the scarcity of such services and the risk of rabies from wildlife.

New U.S. regulations require all dogs entering from abroad to be at least 6 months old and microchipped to mitigate rabies risks.

An AP investigation reveals that political disputes and blame fears halted the search for COVID-19's origins in China, contradicting public claims of ongoing efforts.

A study attributes the nearly 50% growth of caribou herds in B.C. and Alberta to controversial wolf culls, which may need to continue for decades.

The Biden administration has halted the Ambler Road project to protect wildlife and strengthen environmental safeguards in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, sparking mixed reactions.

Federal regulators have significantly reduced the Western Arctic caribou harvest limit for local subsistence hunters from five animals per day to 15 per year, with only one cow allowed, due to the herd's continued decline and low cow survival rates. Non-local hunting is banned until the herd recovers.

Beavers are transforming Alaska's Arctic tundra, creating both challenges for local communities and ecological opportunities, as their population and dam-building activities alter landscapes and affect permafrost.

For nine years, Alaska health officials have been aware of an unusual virus causing rare, relatively mild illnesses in the Fairbanks area. But a recent case in another part of the state — this one resulting in a man's death — has brought new attention to the Alaskapox virus.

Climate change is causing a 'microbial awakening' in Alaska's ecosystems, altering food webs as fungi become a major energy source for small mammals.

Subsistence hunters living in Northwest Alaska and parts of the North Slope are now only allowed to hunt up to 15 animals a year, only one of which can be a cow. This is a considerable change from five caribou a day, and it goes into effect on state-managed lands on July 1.

Scientists have tracked the life journey of a mammoth named Elma across ancient Alaska, revealing her path overlapped with human hunter camps, using chemical analysis of her tusk as a "chemical GPS."