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

Waterfowl Disappearance and Other Lake Ecosystem Changes
Residents note significant changes in the Christiansen Lake ecosystem since 2019. This includes fewer nesting birds, fish, and mammals around the lake, while the leech population has increased along with the occurrence of algal blooms.
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Dead whales wash up near Unalaska, but pandemic complicates necropsies
Two dead whales have washed up on Unalaska's shores in the past week: an adult fin whale — which is the second largest mammal in the world — and a juvenile humpback.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Dead beluga calf poses questions for biologists
It is thought to be either an aborted fetus or a very young calf. The calf is one of six belugas that have been found dead this year, five in the last month.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Record-warm Arctic summer did not bring joy to wildlife
Climate change is triggering behavior change among animals across the Arctic. In Northern Siberia wild reindeer this summer started migrating almost a month earlier than normal.
Khatanga, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Six whales die in largest stranding of its type in Ireland's history
The seven northern bottlenose dolphins were spotted stranded on a beach in Rossnowlagh, County Donegal, on the north west coast of Ireland, earlier today.
Ballintra, Ulster, Ireland
Mail Online

Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee recommends halt on fishing for Chinook
The Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee is recommending the complete cessation of fishing for Chinook salmon this year on the Yukon River.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Miami-Dade fireboats hit the water to help with major fish kill in South Florida waters
Another day of dead marine life surfacing in Biscayne Bay as the swath of suffocated fish appears to be spreading.
Miami, Florida, United States
WPLG

U.S. officials allow killing of sea lions eating at-risk salmon and steelhead in Columbia River watershed
The sea lions have posed a long-running conundrum for wildlife officials, pitting mammals protected under federal law against protected — and valuable — fish runs.
Portland, Oregon, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Biologists hope dead sea lion will provide insight into endangered Aleutian population
Officials have been receiving reports of Steller sea lions hauling out on beaches in poor condition, but have been unable to retrieve the animals for research — largely because they are in remote areas.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Salmon rivers closed in face of high temperatures, low water
Salmon rivers like the Exploits River were closed to anglers around the province by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans earlier this week because of low water levels.
Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

The cause of the mass mortality of fish in a large river in the Tyumen region has been determined
Local residents made a mound that led to the shallowing of the reservoir.
Тюмень, Tjumen, Russia
Radio Sputnik

Not a good salmon season in the Far East and fishery closes in an area of ​​Kamchatka
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
FIS World News

Salmon Is Disappearing From Russia’s Amur River. It’s Taking Local Tradition With It
The Amur River, once full of salmon, has seen the fish all but vanish since 2017. The problem started because of over fishing. At first companies were harvesting in the first 100 kilometers of the river, and since they have expanded 700, 800 kilometers upstream.
Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia
The Moscow Times

Western Red Cedar die-off in Pacific Spirit Park
In the last few years, I have observed a significant die-off of Western red cedar in several high traffic and peripheral areas of Pacific Spirit Regional Park (PSRP). The majority of the cedar trees I saw were noticeably consumed by browning, small, and young, with most likely more shallow root systems. This is consistent with vegetative stress to which young trees have not developed resilience, but older trees may be less impacted
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
David Oswald, Cody Thomas, Lauren Wright

Leduc County declares state of agricultural disaster amid wet conditions
Due to excessively wet weather, Leduc County has declared a municipal state of agricultural disaster.
Leduc County, Alberta, Canada
Global News

﻿ ﻿Reports of dead seabirds raise concerns of another die-off
﻿The last few weeks have seen another alarming uptick in the number of dead, emaciated seabirds found washed  up on the shores in the Bering Sea.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Botswana reports mysterious deaths of hundreds of elephants
Officials in the southern African nation have confirmed at least 275 deaths mainly near seasonal water pans. Both male and female elephants of all ages died, with clinical signs limited to neurologic symptoms.
Okavango Delta

Southern resident whales returning later to Salish Sea in ‘drastic’ change
Southern resident killer whales made their first appearance in the Salish Sea on Canada Day after more than two months with only a brief sighting off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Strait of Georgia
Times Colonist

Emerald ash borer keeping some GRCA properties closed
That includes the trail at the south end of Wrigley Lake in North Dumfries
Byng Island Conservation Area, Ontario
KitchenerToday.com

Washed-up Stellar Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) on Front Beach
Female Stellar sea lion found dead on the beach, partially scavenged by eagles. There was no sign of any bullet holes. In addition, there wasn't any other evidence of what happened to the sea lion.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Barbara Mahoney, Gay Sheffield, Julieanne Renee Berikoff, Melissa Good

Oily substance found near Savoonga remains a mystery
About a month ago, residents of St. Lawrence Island found a patch of oily, white goo on the beach, along with some dead sea birds covered in the substance.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Dead Young Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)
Young gray whale found dead on the beach.
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States
Maio Nishkian, Gay Sheffield, Barbara Mahoney

Dead Tomcod (Microgadus proximus) on Beach
Dead tomcod were found on the beach following warm temperatures in Norton Sound, repeating a 2019 mortality event in the same area.
Teller, Alaska, United States

Rare whale with long, spiky teeth washes up at California beach
A rare pygmy sperm whale washed up at San Onofre State Beach in southern California.
San Diego, California, United States
Fox News

Low sockeye returns prompt commercial fishing closure on the Copper River
"We’re way, well below what we expect to be at this point,” said Jeremy Botz, a biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. He says so far the entire commercial fleet has harvested around 6,000 sockeye, which is way below what the department anticipated
Cordova, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Bald eagle stabbed in heart by loon
It had to be one of the strangest cases of eagle death that Danielle D'Auria has ever seen.
Highland Lake, Bridgton, Maine, United States
UnionLeader.com

From Iceland — Beached Whale In Northwest Iceland Sparks Concern
A sperm whale beached itself in the northwest Iceland region of Skaga, the Northwest Iceland Nature Agency reports.
Skagaströnd, Northwest, Iceland
The Reykjavik Grapevine

Officials find pregnant Hawaiian monk seal dead on beach
Wildlife officials reported the death of a pregnant Hawaiian monk seal who was found at a beach on Kauai.
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
SFGate

First recorded striped dolphin sighting on Haida Gwaii
Animal discovered stranded on Tlell beach, marking first recorded sighting north of Vancouver Island
Crow's Nest, Haisa Gwaii, Canada
Haida Gwaii Observer

Mysterious Illness Killing Australia's Gorgeous Rainbow Lorikeets
According to existing research, some kind of a toxin is responsible for triggering the death of rainbow lorikeets in Australia.
Australia
WorldAtlas

Biologists monitoring sickness in bighorn sheep
A bacterial illness has spread through Baker County’s biggest herd of bighorn sheep, but a state wildlife biologist said it won’t be clear until later this year how severe the
Baker, Oregon, United States
Baker City Herald

Gray whale washes up on Emma Wood State Beach, likely will be towed out to sea
Here's what we know about a dead whale that washed up on Emma Wood State Beach.
Ventura, California, United States
Ventura County Star

Algae bloom chokes Achencoil river stretch
Eutrophication — excess nutrients in water — and environmental changes were identified as the cause of the harmful algal blooms in the fresh aquatic system of the Achencoil.
Pathanāmthitta, Kerala, India
The Hindu

After a rabid coyote attacked a dog, Quinhagak lifted travel ban for a vet
A decline in caribou abundance is causing coyotes and wolves to come closer to the community of Quinhagak. When a rabid coyote attacked a local dog, it forced the village to bring in a veterinarian from outside the village - and temporarily lift the Southwest community's travel ban.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States

Dead gray whale washes up on Oregon coast, buried
State park rangers and a contractor have buried a gray whale carcass that washed up on the beach at Sand Lake Recreation Area south of Tillamook.
Tillamook, Oregon, United States
AP NEWS

Three Dead Sperm Whales Have Scientists Concerned
It is quite unusual that three specimens of the same species have been stranded in such a short time. It may be a coincidence or something more behind. A concerned researcher hopes samples will answer what the whales died of.
Bleik, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Gooseneck Barnacles
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

Over 70 Common Eiders Found Dead
Dozens of dead eiders have been found along the coast in Eastern Norway. The preliminary autopsy report shows no signs of bird flu, but the birds are thin and emaciated.
Larvik, Vestfold, Norway
NRK

Whales are dying, but numbers are unknown. Coronavirus has stalled scientific fieldwork
Stay-at-home requirements have upended the fieldwork of ecological researchers, including that of scientists and volunteers who track migrating gray whales.
Los Angeles, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Rabbit Deaths in Reykjavík Caused by Infectious Disease
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease, a highly infectious and often fatal disease that affects both domestic and wild rabbits has caused widespread death among rabbits in Elliðárdalur valley in Reykjavík. It is the first time the disease is detected in Iceland outside of a rabbit farm or home.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Starvation death looms as huge amount of snow piles up over icy crust
Grazing conditions are very poor this winter in Norway as an unusual amount of snow forces the reindeer to dig really deep to find food.
Sápmi
The Independent Barents Observer

The changing behaviour of humpback whales
There are currently fewer minke whales and more humpbacks in Icelandic waters than usual for the time of year, and some appear to be skipping the southward migration altogether.
Húsavík, Northeast, Iceland
RÚV

Mystery oil coating Westman Islands seabirds
Several dozen oil-covered seabirds have been discovered on the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago in recent days and weeks. The environment agency website states that most of the birds were found around the harbour on Heimaey and on Klauf beach. Oiled birds were first noticed as long ago as the start of this year.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland
RÚV

Dead reindeer used to warn against reindeer danger
Some try to be creative to avoid reindeer driveways. But this is not something the Norwegian Public Roads Administration wants.
NRK

Dead Sea Cucumbers (Cucumaria miniata) on Beach
Strong winds might have blown sea cucumbers (*Cucumaria miniata*) up on to the beach, exposing them to the cold at low tide.
Anchor Point, Alaska, United States
Mandy Lindeberg, Richard L Thoman Jr, Erica Lujan

Sperm whale carcass will decompose on Lanai beach
Federal and state officials are monitoring a sperm whale carcass in the nearshore waters of Lanai.
Lāna‘i City, Hawaii, United States
Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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