Scientists in northern Alaska are learning about polar bears by scraping snow samples from the tracks they leave behind and using DNA to identify individual animals, says science writer Ned Rozell.
Polar bears hunt on the sea ice north of Utqiaġvik, the farthest-north community in the United States.
Lisette Waits of the University of Idaho was in Fairbanks recently at a conference to talk about a wildlife-sampling method that does not include a helicopter, dart gun or handling of a drugged polar bear that can weigh as much as four NFL linemen. Polar bears of the northern sea ice number from about 20,000 to 30,000 animals, with the waters and shorelines of northern and western Alaska supporting an unknown number. Scientists have identified two populations of polar bears in Alaska: a Chukchi Sea group that also expands to Russia, and Beaufort Sea animals that extend into northern Canada.
For the past several years, a team led by Andy Von Duyke of the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management in Utqiaġvik that includes biologists with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has experimented with using sterilized trowels to scrape a thin layer of snow from fresh polar bear footprints.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ash from Russian volcano that caused Alaska flight cancellations may ease FridayThe ash cloud on Thursday was largely concentrated in the Gulf of Alaska east of Kodiak Island, said Nate Eckstein of the Anchorage Volcanic Ash Advisory Center.
Read more »
Alaska Air National Guard: The village behind the rescues“When you sum up all the functions of just this Wing, and you put them together, it is a highly effective and awesome power for good,” one official said.
Read more »
Warrant issued for deadly 2020 hit-and-run after questionable DNA reveals answers about possible suspectHouston police are continuing to track down the driver who they believe is responsible for a deadly hit-and-run collision that happened back in 2020.
Read more »
Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, April 13, 2023Tonight on Alaska News Nightly: Senator Lisa Murkowski makes a trip to Ukraine in support of its defense against Russia. Plus, the eruption of a Russian volcano is causing some air travel to be delayed. Listen here:
Read more »
Alaska high school sports association to consider barring transgender girls from girls’ sports teamsAlaska’s high school sports association is set to consider an amendment to its bylaws that would limit transgender girls’ participation in girls’ school sports teams.
Read more »