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A Mystery in Alaska
Introduction

Unexplained declines in many wildlife species have created A Mystery in Alaska.

The Steller’s sea lions that populate the Alaskan coastline are powerful, playful, and sometimes rowdy creatures who bump and jostle each other on land but acquire a sublime gracefulness in the water. They are also the subject of a strange and tragic mystery: Steller’s sea lions are rapidly disappearing from one of the last great wildlife strongholds of the world, and no one knows why.

Naturalist filmmaker Shane Moore, who has been working in the Alaskan wilderness for much of the past 10 years, brings a sense of urgency and new understanding to this puzzle in A Mystery in Alaska.

As scientists and environmentalists race the clock to find answers, pressure has been growing on Alaska’s fishing industry to suspend most of its pollock fishing, on the suspicion that it is robbing Steller’s sea lions of an important source of food. But new research illustrated in this film shows that a broad combination of factors could be responsible for the sea lions’ plight.

To order a copy of A Mystery in Alaska, visit the NATURE Shop.

Online content for A Mystery in Alaska was originally posted May 2003.

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Comments

22 comments

#1

this is cool

#2

Please, please put “Nature” online! I’d gladly pay a reasonable price to view it on the web, and this may be an ideal source of revenue for PBS/CPB. I recently cancelled my cable service and the only thing I miss is some PBS programs.

#3

You do know that you can get PBS over the air for free right. and with the digital converter box you get at least 3 PBS channels in HD

#4

I agree with Ken B. so would I. The stellar sea lions hold a special place in my heart and this is distressing to view their demise, especially the rookeries pics over the last thirty years . I hope it is not too late to reverse this trend. I am searching the web site to see how they are doing now.

#5

Well i am willing to for go my consumption of fish so the stellar sea lion can live, how about you?

#6

Since they’re finding few bodies, and the show never mentioned this possibility, what about decreased fertility as a contributor/cause?

#7

Another great program from PBS. One suggestion: since
the film was produced in May 2005, a postscript with
any more recent findings would be helpful.

#8

Nice historical show from May of 2003. This is 2008, colder water temperatures parallel the beginning of the Stellar sea lion’s come back. I did not find anything about that on this website. Stellar numbers are growing!

#9

The herring quota continues to increase in Sitka. As a lifelong Sitkan I can tell you the amount of spawn along the coastline is decreasing. They’ll keep fishing till the fish are gone. Same as the charter fishermen will continue till the king salmon, halibut, shrimp and crab are gone.

#10

Here’s an interesting article from the web: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080305_sealion.html

#11

Like Ken, I’d like to see your videos available for download online - fee OK. We don’t subscribe to a cable service either for TV so we don’t get a chance to view any of the shows on Public Television. We just don’t have time for TV! - but would make time for selected videos. Thanks Pat

#12

The coastline from Alaska to the Sacremento River of California have suffered 160 years of European and European descendent impacts on ocean life. Whaling to near extinction, sealing to near extinction, sea otter killing to near extinction.

In British Columbia we nearly killed off the coastal herring population rendering the herring down to oil and fish meal to feed to livestock.

The eulochan fish on the BC coast have almost become extinct.

There should be no live capture of herring in nets. Herring spawn more than once in their lifetime. The only harvest of herring should be one where the eggs are collected without killing the fish. Herring eggs on kelp is one method of catch and release that has been successful and the product commands a high price in the marketplace.

I hung up my fishing rods in 1977 sensing a not too rosy future for our sea going friends.

We need to protect the web especially the part of the web that feeds the larger creatures.

#13

I was in Alaska last year and enjoyed watching the seals. I was amazed while watching the show that the seals were having so much trouble getting the proper food and that they may become extinct. I would like to get a copy of that show.

#14

This was a very interesting article the thing that amazed me the most is NUTHING is was stupid.

#15

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#16

[...] Links: Homepage [...]

#17

PLEASE run this program again! Wonderful program about the Stellar Seals. Somehow I missed this and only got the last half of it on August 30. So important to educate the public on these sensitive matters. Loved what I saw of it. Atlanta

#18

i think is soo cool!!!

#19

It’s awesome to learn about what’s happening here in Alaska… after living here for over 14 years it’s easy to take the beauty of the place for granted and to ignore many of the species that might be disappearing.Seals are so much fun to watch… Thanks for opening my eyes– this is an amazingly educating program! Tok, Alaska

#20

Most excellent program - however, PBS said there was an update available. I’ve searched and searched and no update was to be found. We would like to know what has happened since the program was created.
Russ

#21

i have a project on sea lions because i think that they r really cool. this site is helping me a lot so keep up the good work people! SEA LIONS ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!REALLY ROCK!!!!!!

#22

is there any volunter programs that one could get involved with the helping to save this seals in ontario

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