Whales Dying In Alaska, NOAA Researchers Searching For Clues
Whales are dying in Alaska at a shocking rate, according to NOAA investigators speaking with CNN. The Gulf of Alaska whale deaths have baffled investigators. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers declared the 30 deaths the first “unusual mortality event” for large whales ever designated in the state.
British Columbia authorities have also reportedly experienced an unusual amount of whale deaths recently. The whale deaths in Alaska have been accompanied by a series of widespread deaths of murres – a bird species which inhabits the Alaska Peninsula.
Since 2010 less than 15 “large whale strandings” were reported in the Gulf of Alaska area. Samples from the area are being collected for testing for the presence of viruses, biotoxins, bacteria, and algae.