Background Articles

Alaska communities are facing significant challenges due to climate change, including the disappearance of snow crabs, threats to subsistence hunting and fishing, and difficulties in processing and storing food, but some communities are taking action and developing local climate adaptation plans with the support of funding and collaboration between different governments and agencies.

Residents in Western Alaska are experiencing a salmon crisis that is not only affecting their physical health due to the lack of exercise from salmon harvesting, but also their mental health and cultural well-being, as salmon harvesting is seen as a vital part of their way of life and recovery from substance abuse.

Wolves in Katmai, Alaska, have been observed hunting sea otters and seals, suggesting a significant ecological link between land and marine life.

Four unsheltered people, two of whom were in wheelchairs, have died outdoors in Anchorage over the past week as winter weather hits the city, highlighting the ongoing issue of homelessness and the need for preventative measures.

An emergency phase has been declared and the town of Grindavík in Iceland has been evacuated due to increased volcanic activity and damage from earthquakes, with residents being urged to seek safety in emergency relief centers.

An extreme outbreak of salmon lice in Iceland has resulted in an average of 96 lice found on each salmon, causing outrage and protests against Norwegian fish farming companies.

The otter population in Sweden is bouncing back after having been severely hit by hunting, road accidents and toxins in the environment in past decades.Since ...

A snowstorm in Southcentral Alaska causes power outages and leads to the cancellation of a Veterans Day ceremony, while crews work to clear roads and restore electricity.

Wildlife surveys in southwest Yukon have shown a 'concerning' decline in the number of Dall sheep — and biologists say recent snowy winters may be to blame.

Hunters are concerned about the small and lean size of moose calves, which may be due to various factors such as climate, dry weather, and late-born calves, leading to potential consequences for the moose population.

The EPA plans to limit or eliminate a chemical commonly used in car tires, known as 6PPD, after it was found to be fatal to salmon in preliminary Alaska sampling, in response to a petition from Native Tribes and several states, but the rulemaking process is expected to take years.

Over 5,000 Peruvian sea lions, approximately 5% of Peru's population, succumbed to a mass mortality event linked to the avian influenza A(H5N1) virus, signaling an urgent need for research and conservation efforts to prevent further declines. The rapid spread of the virus among these colonially breeding mammals highlights potential risks of cross-species transmission and the necessity for heightened monitoring to avert new pandemics.

A minimum of 42,500 chinook are supposed to get to their Canadian spawning waters to meet conservation goals. Only 15,300 of those fish made it to Eagle, near the Yukon border.

Geneviève Degré-Timmons, a PhD candidate, is studying why caribou use burned lands and when they stop using them, and has created a painting to represent the cycle of the boreal forest and caribou interactions within it.

The increase in pink salmon population in warmer waters is negatively impacting the food chain and causing a decline in other species in the North Pacific Ocean, according to a new study.

The Okanagan Basin Water Board is proposing a temporary ban on out-of-province boats entering British Columbia's waterways to prevent the introduction of invasive mussels that could cause significant harm to the ecosystem and cost the province millions of dollars annually.

The Kenai borough Assembly has passed a resolution asking the governor to declare an economic disaster for set-netters on the east side of Cook Inlet in Alaska, due to the closure of the fishery this year resulting in significant economic losses.