Climate change may have driven gray whale up Kuskowkim

The gray whale that swam up the Kuskokwim River and was hunted by locals last week may have been searching for new food sources, according to Oregon-based scientist Carrie Newell. (Katie Basile / KYUK)Climate change may be responsible for pushing Alaska’s Gray Whales up into estuaries and rivers like the Kuskokwim.
Oregon-based whale biologist Dr. Carrie Newell said Gray Whales spend six months of the year in Alaskan waters feeding – digging into the muddy bottoms of the North Pacifi