LEO Network

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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Trans Mountain tree cutting can continue as stop-work order on pipeline route lifts
A federal regulator has lifted a stop-work order on tree cutting and grass mowing along the route of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.
Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada
Global News

Climate change threatens to spread antibiotic resistance in the Arctic
Three miles uphill from the Bering Sea beach, gulls darting in and out of the Nome landfill. Some of those birds are being exposed to antibiotics and, through that exposure, picking up bacteria with antibiotic resistance.
Nome, Alaska, United States
ArcticToday

Canada: hummingbirds succeed in halting controversial pipeline construction
Work will stop until 21 August after the discovery of an Anna’s hummingbird nest during construction of TransMountain pipeline
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
the Guardian

Record-breaking ocean temps hurting local sea life
A sobering warning on Earth Day: Scripps researchers say record-breaking ocean temperatures and toxin levels are harming local sea life.
La Jolla, California, United States
FOX 5 San Diego

Study finds wildfire caused massive bird die-off
There was a strong correlation between the observations of dead birds and wildfires and the toxic gases they produced, but not with the early winter storms.
Colorado, United States
High Country Kids

Bird flu detected in Estonia
The particularly dangerous strain of avian influenza virus H5N8 has been detected in a mute swan found on the Kopli peninsula in Tallinn.
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
ERR

Perisoreus canadensis Make Increasing Winter Appearances in the Sooke Hills
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
Cody Thomas, David Oswald, Jessica Boquist

Are you waiting for the snow? Then the meteorologist has bad news
It doesn't look like Tromsø will get snow for a while.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway

Southwest Bird Die-Off Caused by Long-Term Starvation
A new report based on necropsies conducted by the USGS's National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin suggests that the die-off was caused by long-term starvation and was likely exacerbated by a spate of freakishly cold weather.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Smithsonian Magazine

Surfers ask Vladimir Putin to take closer look at rocket fuel version of Kamchatka eco disaster
The appeal was sent to president Putin on 30 October on behalf of Moscow and St Petersburg surfing federations, pointing his attention to the fact that traces of rocket fuel were found in samples from the polluted area. It means that the anthropogenic version of the recent environmental catastrophe mustn’t be brushed aside, the surfers say.
Siberian Times

Massive marine die-off in Russia could threaten endangered sea otters, other vulnerable species
Now believed to be caused by an unprecedented algae bloom, the decimation of bottom-dwelling sea life may have devastating ripple effects.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
National Geographic

Russian rocket fuel leak likely cause of marine animal deaths
Injured surfers and large number of dead sea creatures reported in Kamchatka region. Some experts have suggested highly toxic rocket fuel could have leaked into the sea. The first test site, Radygino, is about six miles (10km) from the sea.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
the Guardian

Wildlife shows signs its thriving amid the COVID-19 pandemic
South Africa
CGTN

Massive die-off of Pacific seabirds linked to a warm-water ‘blob’
New research shows the marine heat wave that spread from California to Alaska starting in 2014 caused common murres to starve to death.
Bering Sea
Anchorage Daily News

The Amazingly Cool Anna's Hummingbird Scoffs at Winter
Vancouver’s official bird is a sex-crazed, smart, supercharged recent arrival.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

The wildlife visitors warning of climate disaster
Britain’s milder weather is attracting exotic guests. While we may celebrate their arrival now it should also alert us to what’s ahead
Southern England, United Kingdom
the Guardian

Rare woodpeckers turn out in large numbers
Birdwatchers in 2019 spotted the second-largest number of rare woodpeckers recorded so far in Finland. White-backed and three-toed woodpeckers rarely appear in the hundreds.
Finland
Yle Uutiset

Microplastics found in the stomach and intestines of Arctic belugas harvested for food
In the North, where food prices are notoriously high, beluga whales are a staple community resource
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada
The Narwhal

Why are birds and seals starving in a Bering Sea full of fish?
The animal die-offs offer the world a stark example of the perils of rising ocean temperatures, which already are upending parts of the Bering Sea ecosystem.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Seattle Times

Large Decline in Pacific Herring Stock
Conservation groups are calling for the immediate closure of the herring fishery in the Strait of Georgia following the release of new federal government data showing a four-year population biomass decline of almost 60 per cent. “We’ve been systematically overfishing these stocks and the Gulf of Georgia fishery is the last one left,” Pacific Wild...
Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

Melting glaciers have uncovered five new islands, and animals are populating them
The islands were first noticed by a student engineer who had observed the unidentified land masses in satellite images
Franz Josef Land Archipelago
National Post

Short-tailed shearwaters die by the thousands in Alaska
"What was unusual was the sheer number of them," Kuletz said. "Including the Bristol Bay area and the Pribilofs, it's up around 6,000 birds down on the beach. That's probably a small fraction of the number affected. This year stands out because of the huge shearwater die-off."
Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

It was the warmest ever Arctic summer
The top of the world saw record-beating average temperatures flashing through all three summer months.
The Independent Barents Observer

Newfoundland turrs: canaries in the climate crisis
What caused roughly 60,000 dead murres to wash ashore in Alaska? The answer to this could be very important to the murre (or turr) populations in the Atlantic.
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Low Levels of Algal Toxins in Northern Bering Sea of Interest to Scientists and Residents
During a workshop in Nome this week, scientists and residents discussed algal toxins’ role in the changing Bering Sea ecosystem.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Fox Stuns Scientists With Trek From Norway To Canada
A researcher says her team couldn't believe the distance travelled.
Arctic
HuffPost Canada

Thousands of seabirds starved to death in the Bering Sea — and scientists see evidence of climate change
In a paper published Wednesday, researchers theorize the die-off is at least partially attributable to the changing climate.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
Washington Post

Warming oceans linked to rise in tropical species
Scientists have identified a spike in ‘vagrant’ species of fish including damselfish, wrasse and triggerfish
New Zealand

Snow geese are everywhere, and we need to do something about it
As their population grows worldwide, the birds are destroying the habitat of other waterfowl.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

100 months of temperature above normal in Svalbard
March becomes the hundredth month in a row with temperatures above normal. "It is unique and shows how fast climate change is happening in the Arctic," says climate scientist Ketil Isaksen at the Meteorological Institute (MET).
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Meteorologisk institutt

Birds arriving earlier with climate change
The golden plover and other species are moving their arrival time up by an average of half a day per year, and have been doing so for the last 20 years.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
RÚV

Grass crops in Eastern Norway halved in 2018
Last year's drought summer resulted in halved grass crops in Eastern Norway compared to the previous year, according to recent figures from Statistics Norway. - The consequences of the drought continue to affect the daily lives of many farmers, says Lars Petter Bartnes, leader of the Norwegian Farmers' Union.
Akershus, Norway
Norges Bondelag

Arctic terns at Mendenhall seem to be decreasing in numbers
The number of Arctic terns spending summers by the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center seems to be dwindling.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Record number of overwintering bird species
Over 90 species of birds have been counted in this year’s winter bird census—which is the most diverse range ever recorded. Kristinn Haukur Skarphéðinsson, animal ecologist with the Natural History Institute of Iceland, says, however, that numbers of some common winter species are shrinking fast, due to climate change.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
RÚV

Warmer seas in the north are bad news for the common Eider
Troms, Norway
The Fram Centre

Greenhouse gas emissions provide extreme warming in Svalbard
Greenhouse gas emissions provide extreme warming on Svalbard.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Miljodirektoratet

Insect collapse: ‘We are destroying our life support systems’
Scientist Brad Lister returned to Puerto Rican rainforest after 35 years to find 98% of ground insects had vanished
Luquillo Rainforest, Puerto Rico

Thousands of penguins stranded on South American coast
Thousands of female penguins are being stranded along the coast of South America because of water pollution and fishing, research shows. A new study of Megellanic penguins, which breed in Patagonia in southern Argentina, explains for the first time why so many become stuck on beaches hundreds of miles further north.  Researchers found the man-made threats encountered as the
Coastal Uruguay
The Independent

Spread of invasive species in Canada costs billions, changes environment
A 2008 report by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said there were at least 486 invasive alien plant species alone in Canada.
Creston, British Columbia, Canada
The Star

As Seas Warm, Galápagos Islands Face a Giant Evolutionary Test
Climate change is ravaging the natural laboratory that inspired Darwin. The creatures here are on the brink of crisis.
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
New York Times

Climate change threatens the kittiwake – extreme weather and altered prey availability reduce recruitment
Bad weather is bad news, also for the red-listed kittiwake. New research reveals that wind conditions combined with the availability of different prey species are determinants of chick production in this seabird.
Myre, Nordland, Norway
SEAPOP, Norwegian institute for nature research

As Greenland Warms, Nature’s Seasonal Clock Is Thrown Off-Kilter
For millennia, ecosystems in Greenland and throughout the Arctic have been regulated by seasonal changes that govern the greening of vegetation and the migration and reproduction of animals. But a rapidly warming climate and disappearing sea ice are upending that finely tuned balance.
Kangerlussuaq, Qeqqata, Greenland
Yale E360

In Alaska, Starving Seabirds and Empty Colonies Signal a Broken Ecosystem
Mass die-offs and breeding failures, now ongoing for years, have marine biologists worried that this is a new normal caused by climate change.
Audubon

'Shocking' decline of Arctic skua revealed in study
'Shocking' decline of Arctic skua revealed in study. Conservation scientists say a lack of food is behind the drop in the UK population.
STV News

'Virtually unprecedented': Banff bison roaming free for first time in 140 years
Wild and free. That’s the new life for a herd of 31 plains bison which have finally been fully reintroduced to the backcountry of Banff National Park for the first time in 140 years.“These are not a captive display herd.
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Calgary Herald

Rare Harry Potter owl spotted for only the fourth time in history
Bird Notes columnist Julian Hughes of RSPB Conwy reveals how the Snowy Owl got twitchers in a flap, and outlines 11 birding events in the coming days
Amlwch, Sir Ynys Mon, Wales, United Kingdom
Daily Post

Ocean warming, ‘junk-food’ prey cause of massive seabird die-off, study finds
In the fall of 2014, West Coast residents witnessed a strange, unprecedented ecological event. Tens of thousands of small seabird carcasses washed ashore on beaches from California to British Columbia, in what would become one of the largest bird die-offs ever recorded.
A network of more than
Pacific Coast, US and Canada
Technology Org

Endangered plant thrives after Sidney Spit restoration
Coastal sand ecosystem returning to health after 1.5 years of work
Sidney Spit National Marine Park, Canada
Saanich News

Can These Seabirds Adapt Fast Enough to Survive a Melting Arctic?
On a remote Alaskan sandbar, under the watchful eye of a devoted scientist for more than four decades, climate change is forcing a colony of seabirds into a real-time race: evolve or go extinct.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Audubon

Ten Alaskans were sickened by raw or undercooked walrus. A parasite was in the meat, CDC says.
Serious and unusual outbreaks of illness from eating raw or undercooked walrus to call attention to the risks.
St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Last Season’s Difficulties for Diomede Auklets May Be a Sign of Changing Climate
An assistant professor at the University of Alaska–Fairbanks suspects that changes seen in the auklet population on Little Diomede may be related to changes in climate.
Diomede, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Declining survival of black brant from subarctic and arctic breeding areas
Since the mid 1990s, the number of black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans; brant) nests on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (YKD), Alaska, USA, the historically predominant breeding area of brant, has declined steadily.
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, United States
The Journal of Wildlife Management
Leach, Alan G. and Ward, David H. and Sedinger, James S. and Lindberg, Mark S. and Boyd, W. Sean and Hupp, Jerry W. and Ritchie, Robert J.

Climate Destabilization Causing Thousands of New Species Migrations: Plant, Animal, Insect, Bird
In the Arctic, brown bears (Ursus arctos) are expanding their range northward, in some cases competing with and even mating with polar bears (*Ursus maritimus*). Beavers (*Castor canadensis*) have been found as far north as the coast of the Beaufort Sea. The list includes mammals, amphibians, fish and insects.
Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean
EnviroNews DC News Bureau

Many bird species are on the move
Did you know there are two different species of hummingbirds in the Vancouver area? The rufous hummingbird is a tiny orange-red hummer that visits B.C. each summer and winters in Mexico, while the slightly larger maroon-and-green Anna’s hummingbird is here all year.
British Columbia, Canada
Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly

Migrating Birds May Carry Viral Baggage
Right now, a lethal strain of bird flu is wreaking havoc in the Lower 48. It’s clear that migrating flocks have something to do with spreading the illness between farms and across continents -- but exactly what is still fuzzy. A remote spot in Southwest Alaska may hold some clues. Download Audio
Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Inundation, sedimentation, and subsidence creates goose habitat along the Arctic coast of Alaska
Since 1976, the distribution of molting Black Brant ( Branta bernicla nigricans ) on the Arctic Coastal Plain has shifted from inland freshwater lakes to coastal marshes, such as those occupying the Smith River and Garry Creek estuaries.
North Slope, Alaska, United States
Environmental Research Letters
Ken D Tape and Paul L Flint and Brandt W Meixell and Benjamin V Gaglioti

Tar ball deposition on Goa's beaches affecting marine life, says NIO study
Tar ball deposition on Goa's beaches affecting marine life, says NIO study on Business Standard. To carry out study the NIO also collected samples from Baga, Candolim, Calungute and Mandrem beaches from North Goa and Velsao, Betalbatim, Colva and Benaulim from South Goa.
Goa, India
Press Trust of India

From common to rare: The case of the Mediterranean common dolphin
Our results showed that local fisheries have negatively impacted the marine biodiversity of the ecosystem causing sharp declines of common dolphins and major fish stocks and weakening the robustness of the marine food web.
Nydri, Ionian Islands, Greece
Biological Conservation
Piroddi, Chiara, Giovanni Bearzi, Joan Gonzalvo and Villy Christensen

Veterinary Division - Reportable Diseases Report
All persons practicing veterinary medicine in North Carolina shall report these listed diseases and conditions to the State Veterinarian's office by telephone within two hours after the disease is reasonably suspected to exist.
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services news release

Simulating community effects of sea floor shading by plankton blooms over the West Florida Shelf
Phytoplankton blooms are increasingly conspicuous along the world's
coastlines, and the toxic effects of these blooms have become a major
concern. Nutrient enrichment often causes phytoplankton blooms, which
decrease water transparency, but little is known about the effects of
such light regime changes on whole communities of the continental shelf.
A series of simulations designed to evaluate the potential effects of
shading by phytoplankton blooms on community organization were conducted
using a balanced trophic model of the West Florida Shelf ecosystem and
the Ecopath with Ecosim modeling approach. Many functional groups in the
system were predicted to decline as benthic primary production was
inhibited through shading by phytoplankton, especially when associated
biogenic habitat was lost. Groups that obtain most of their energy from
planktonic pathways increased when shading impact and associated
structural habitat degradation were complemented by enhanced
phytoplankton production. Groups predicted to decline as the result of
shading by plankton blooms include seabirds, manatees, and a variety of
demersal and benthic fishes and invertebrates. Some counterintuitive
predictions of declines (mackerel, seabirds, and surface pelagics)
resulted because these groups are somewhat dependent on benthic primary
production. The overall effect of the simulated bloom-associated shading
of benthic primary producers resembled a trophic cascade where the
number of full cycles of biomass gains and losses was approximately
equal to the number of trophic levels in the system (4.7). (C) 2003
Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The West Florida Shelf, USA
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
Okey, TA., Vargo, GA., Mackinson, S., Vasconcellos, M., Mahmoudi, B and Meyer, CA

Albatross divorce rates up with ocean warming
A team of researchers has found that black-browed albatrosses living on the Falkland Islands see rising divorce rates during times when the sea surface temperatures rise. They point out that hunger could lead to one or the other partner abandoning an egg or hatchling—events that could lead to one of the birds ditching the other.
Falkland Islands
Phys.org

Why Are Songbirds Across The U.S. Mysteriously Dying?
A mysterious illness that has been killing songbirds in mid-Atlantic states may have moved into North Carolina, according the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The disease — which cause the eyes of birds to crust over — has been expanding its reach since being reported four months ago in Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C.
Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., United States

The focus of bird flu was eliminated in Chukotka during exercises
The article reports on a successful emergency response drill in Chukotka, Russia, where a simulated bird flu outbreak was contained.
Anadyr, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Bird flu concerns mean there will be no chickens, turkey, geese or ducks at the Alaska State Fair
Fair organizers say they’re concerned about the spread of bird flu.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Hearty welcome to Alaska's mosquito-gobbling swallows
The swallow that makes the biggest dent in insect populations in these parts is the cliff swallow. These birds can nest in colonies of several thousand given the right conditions. The largest group of swallows I’m personally aware of is on the middle Porcupine River, where the cliffs of impressive Howling Dog Canyon host at least 4,000 swallows.
Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

On the Trails: Avian flu ailments
Avian flu and avian pox are causing serious ailments and mortality in bird populations, with the viruses being transmitted through direct contact, ingestion, and inhalation, while pesticides and toxic run-off from mining activities also contribute to avian disability and mortality.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Men charged with killing 3,600 birds, including bald and golden eagles, to sell on black market
Two men in Montana have been indicted for killing approximately 3,600 birds, including protected bald and golden eagles, to sell their parts on the black market.
Missoula, Montana, United States
CTVNews

Ocean animals face a mass extinction from climate change, study finds
Rising temperatures and dwindling oxygen levels are decimating marine species. But humanity can avert mass die-offs by curbing fossil fuel use and other planet-warming activities.
Oceans of the World
Washington Post

New insights on avian influenza spillover and global spread
When it comes to avian influenza, more commonly known as bird flu, all birds are not created equal.
Newfoundland
News-Medical.net

Redpolls, feisty songbirds of the Alaska winter, are flocking to feeders this season
Unusually high numbers of the chunky little finches in Southcentral are prompting surprising questions from bird lovers.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Alaska wildlife officials on the lookout for new, deadlier bird flu
This strain does not seem to pose a serious risk to people but there's concern for backyard flocks and the wild birds that are a food source for many Alaskans.
Alaska Public Media

Observed Evidence of Changing Forests:Testimonial for the Status of Tribes and Climate Change Report
The Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Tribes and Climate Change Program is publishing a report called the Status of Tribes and Climate C...
Spokane, Washington, United States
YouTube

Colorado ptarmigan populations holding steady
Populations of southern white-tailed ptarmigan, an iconic yet well-camouflaged and easily overlooked bird of Colorado’s alpine regions, appear to be holding steady. But long-term concerns about its future remain in a warming world with growing numbers of people recreating in the state’s fragile alpine ecosystems.
Colorado, United States
Vail Daily

Starving seabirds on Alaska coast show climate change peril
The seabirds are struggling because of climate-linked ecosystem shifts — which can affect the supply and the timing of available food — as well as a harmful algal bloom and a viral outbreak in the region, she said. And their peril jeopardizes the human communities, as well: "Birds are essential to our region — they are nutritionally and economically essential," said Sheffield.
CBC

The great goose die-off
Scientists determine geese died due to exhaustion and salt-poisoning. More birds end up dying because of the long flights they undertake, in extreme conditions.
Cambridge Bay
NUNAVUT NEWS

Booming turkey vulture populations could be another sign climate
For the past five years or so, former state Sen. Randall Hardy has watched a few dozen turkey vultures roost in a tree next to his garage. He can tell when the migratory birds return to his central Salina neighborhood each spring as the colors begin to change.
Hays, Kansas, United States
kake.com

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