Dead chum salmon are lining the banks of one of the Yukon River’s largest tributaries. Koyukuk River residents and scientists alike suspect the deaths are related to the river’s warm water. A team of scientists headed to the river on July 26 to gather data. The reports of dead salmon started late last week. One of the most disturbing came from a series of Facebook videos posted by Ricko DeWilde.
More info in the article
https://www.alaskapublic.org/2019/07/26/scientists-need-help-studying-dead-salmon-in-yukon-area/
My thoughts on this news
This is still a developing story and scientists will be looking into it, but depending on the number of dead salmon this could be an ecological disaster. We have had some record breaking temperatures in Alaska both air and water temperatures. The theory is the water in the rivers is too warm for the salmon, heat stress is killing them and they are not spawning. Salmon from those rivers are a huge food source both for wild animals and humans, if they are not spawning that means there will be less salmon next year and that pattern could continue moving forward.
