The state program employs helicopters and small planes to shoot black and brown bears of any age in a large area of southwestern Alaska. Two conservation groups have sued to stop it.

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska wildlife agents can resume shooting and killing black and brown bears — including from helicopters — as part of a plan to help recover a caribou herd that was once an important source of food for Alaska Native hunters, a judge ruled Wednesday.

The ruling means the Alaska Department of Fish and Game can kill bears ahead of the caribou calving season for the Mulchatna Caribou Herd.

The world’s second-tallest tsunami wave on record tore through the remote Tracy Arm fjord in Alaska last August, leaving immense destruction in its wake.

Scientists say as glaciers retreat in a warming climate, landslide-generated tsunamis are likely to become more frequent.

On the morning of August 10, 2025, a massive landslide struck Alaska’s Tracy Arm fjord, a popular destination for many cruise lines. The landslide triggered a 1,578-foot-tall (481-meter-tall) mega-tsunami that would have devastated any passing ships. Fortunately, none were present at that early hour, but future vessels may not be so lucky.

Democrats hope to flip seats in Alaska, a reliably Republican state, this November as they face a strong national environment.

The legislation, which would expand voter ID and allow voters to track their ballots, had bipartisan support in the Legislature.

The Mulchatna caribou herd is expected to begin calving soon, and the babies are particularly susceptible to being eaten by bears or wolves.