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Inuit Hunters Help Rescue Gray Whales in 1988

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Inuit Hunters Help Rescue Gray Whales in 1988

Picture by: Dave Withrow Picture taken on: January 17th, 1988

Tags: Inuit operation breakthrough hunter gray whale Alaska 1988 rescue

Early in the rescue, Inupiat hunters living in and around Barrow, clear sea ice for breathing holes. In 1988, three gray whales were trapped by sea ice outside Barrow, Alaska. This event inspired a new film called Big Miracle which was released in February 2012. This photo was scanned from slides at the National Marine Mammal Lab in Seattle.