Did you know, this year Yellow-billed Loons will be considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act?
Last summer, Alaska youth traveled to Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Inigok National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, and the Colville River Delta to interview experts and film the birds. Student Conservation Association Media Intern Devdharm Khalsa (photo below) headed to Inigok in the National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska to collaborate with BLM (Bureau of Land Management) biologist Debbie Nigro and NPS (National Park Service) biologist Melanie Flamme and film these beautiful birds. Shortly after, two teens- Sam Tocktoo of Shishmaref and Sam Bernitz of Anchorage- went to Kotzebue and Bering Land Bridge National Preserve to film the loons and the science behind long term monitoring of the species in Alaska. They also interviewed Dr. Angela Matz from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about the process of a listing decision for the species. The last location for filming, after they picked up one teen from Fairbanks, Andrew Kennedy, was the the homestead of Jim and Teena Helmericks on the Colville River Delta. There, they stayed up late every evening to get close-up video of the Yellow-billed Loons on the lake near the homestead. Finally, the entire group traveled to Alaska Teen Media Insitute in Anchorage to edit video from all three trips. Check out their video to learn more about the conservation challenges facing Yellow-billed Loons and why the species is under consideration for listing.
Student Conservation Association Media Intern Devdharm Khalsa