This July, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s near-total ban on the commercial ivory trade went into effect. Regulatory changes are starting to bite into Alaska’s ivory market.
Wildlife
State, Native Corps ask U.S. Supreme Court to enter fray over polar bear habitat
The State of Alaska and a dozen Native organizations have filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to overturn a ruling that designated vast swaths of coastal Alaska as critical habitat for polar bears.
Gates on Chilkoot Corridor will not limit access, state parks say
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources is installing gates at Haines most popular bear viewing area: the Chilkoot River Corridor. It’s the first step in the effort to improve the road. While the work is happening this week, vehicle access is limited. But state parks staff say locals shouldn’t worry about the gate restricting access to the recreation area in the future.
Study indicates Alaskan gulls carry drug-resistant E. coli
A federal study found gulls that frequented areas closer to human populations carried E. coli more resistant to antibiotics than E. coli carried by gulls observed in a more remote place.
Nations Agree To Establish World’s Largest Marine Reserve In Antarctica
At 600,000 square miles, the sanctuary covers an area twice the size of Texas and is known as polar “Garden of Eden.” This unanimous agreement is the result of years of negotiations.
State raising fees for hunting, fishing licenses in 2017
The state Department of Fish and Game has announced that fees will increase for sport fishing, hunting and trapping licenses starting next year.