The Coast Guard and the Alaska National Guard were conducting search-and-rescue operations in two villages along the Bering Sea on Sunday.

It was an unusual contribution to the growing body of evidence that bowhead whales, as well as being among the largest whales, exhibit exceptional longevity, possibly extending to over 200 years – making it the longest-living mammal on the planet.

Anthony Bourdain famously traveled the globe to tell the stories of its various inhabitants, yet he surprisingly never made it to one US state.

Issues affecting circumpolar nations

One of the largest airlifts in Alaska history is underway to evacuate hundreds from storm-devasted coastal towns.