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

Food deliveries to Khatanga delayed due to abnormal weather
Prolonged late freeze-up has disrupted delivery of essential foods to settlements near Khatanga. Authorities used a hovercraft to deliver supplies to Novaya and Zhdanikha, while shops are extending credit and resident debts are rising.
Khatanga, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
Taimyr Telegraph

Power outages over 16 hours in Salla as crews work late; customers worry about freezers
Heavy snowfall caused widespread power outages in Salla and eastern Lapland, leaving some customers without electricity for over 16 hours as repair crews worked into the evening. Thousands lost power at the peak; even a mobile phone base station went down.
Salla, Lapland, Finland
Lapin Kansa

One man is dead, another missing after falling through thin ice near Kotzebue
Two men fell through thin ice near Kotzebue, resulting in one death and one missing person, prompting warnings from local authorities about unsafe ice conditions.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
KOTZ

Maine issues new do-not-eat advisory as wildlife tests positive for PFAS in Waldo County
Maine has issued a do-not-eat advisory for white-tailed deer and wild turkeys in parts of Knox, Thorndike and Unity after tests found elevated PFAS in muscle tissue. The advisory expands earlier restrictions tied to contamination from sludge-applied farm fields.
Waldo County, Maine, United States
The Portland Press Herald

Sitkinak Island deer start Kenai adventure
Alaska wildlife officials translocated 19 Sitka black-tailed deer from Sitkinak Island to near Port Chatham on the Kenai Peninsula to establish a sustainable herd. The deer were GPS-collared and will be monitored to assess survival, expansion, and the feasibility of future hunts.
Port Chatham, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Southern Ontario Rain Variations / Drought Conditions
Southern Ontario is experiencing unusual rainfall variations and drought conditions, leading to the longest dry streak since 2021, which has severely impacted crop yields, food security, and local ecosystems.
Tyendinaga, Ontario

Pumpkins this year might be a little punier than you're used to, depending where you go
As leaves start to turn and fall settles in slowly but surely, farmers in the region say the size of pumpkins and health of other crops will vary greatly depending on how much rain a particular area got.
London, Ontario, Canada
CBC

State issues alert for toxic shellfish found in Kachemak Bay
Alaska health officials issued an alert after wild shellfish from Kachemak Bay’s inner bay tested above regulatory limits for paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins. Residents are warned not to harvest or eat untested wild shellfish; monitoring and test results are being posted by the Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Network.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Bees swarming
Unusual bee swarming behavior observed in East Burke, Vermont, with 50 to 100 hives affected by extreme temperature fluctuations.
East Burke, Vermont, United States

Believe they could have saved more of the 190 reindeer that went through the ice with the right equipment
Nearly 190 reindeer perished after falling through thin ice in Finnmark, revealing a lack of proper rescue equipment and the need for better emergency preparedness in reindeer herding communities.
Kautokeino, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK

Fast-growing Hurricane Milton is officially a Category 5 storm as it nears Florida
Milton grew quickly into a Category 5 storm Monday morning and is forecast to make landfall in Florida midweek.
Tampa, Florida, United States
Alaska Public Media

Dangerous bluetongue virus: Drops sheep program at agricultural fair
The article reports on the serious outbreak of bluetongue virus affecting sheep in Rogaland and Agder, Norway, leading to a 30% mortality rate and the cancellation of all sheep-related events in the regions.
Norway
NRK

Unusual cysts in grayling
"Grayling guts with unknown pearl like cyst or tapeworm. Never seen this before in our grayling."
Arctic Village, Alaska, United States
Noah Tsigonis, Crystal Frank Welker, Jayde Ferguson, Sarah Yoder

Wondering where the fish have gone
With a bleak salmon return this year in Northwest Alaska, a lifelong fisherman reflects on a season marked by empty nets and big questions.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

A whale the size of an airplane was harvested by hunters in the Chukotka
The Lorino community caught the first bowhead whale in five years.To pull the giant over 17 meters long ashore, all the heavy equipment of the village was needed. According to hunters, this is the third “greenlander” caught in the entire history of the community.
Lorino, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Caribou arrive in the Northwest Arctic region
The Western Arctic Caribou Herd has been declining for years, and the migration patterns of the animals have been changing. In several locations in Northwest Alaska, caribou have been arriving later and later in the season. Friday last week, people in Kotzebue finally started seeing caribou — hundreds of them ― crossing the Kotzebue Sound north of town, coming from the Noatak riverside. Ice conditions are one of the reasons for the caribou’s late migration, said Thomas Baker, chair of the Northwest Arctic Subsistence Regional Advisory Council.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Absence of Tomcods
Erratic temperatures led to the absence of tomcods, severely affecting local fishing.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Jacqualine Schaeffer, Janet Mitchell, Chris Dankmeyer, Sarah Yoder

Hunters report record harvest for Central Southeast moose hunt
Hunters in Central Southeast Alaska have reported a record harvest of 141 bulls during the month-long moose hunt, surpassing the previous record of 132 bulls set in 2021, with the majority of the harvest occurring on Kupreanof Island. A couple decades ago, there were very few of them in the region — and the hunt was almost entirely relegated to the mainland. But over the years, he said he’s seen more moose cropping up on remote islands.
Kupreanof, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Later frosts could make new crops possible in Alaska, but climate change brings challenges, too
Shifting seasons and hotter temperatures could allow Alaska farmers to grow more abundant and diverse produce. But climate change can also bring drought, pests and permafrost thaw.  Human-caused climate change is bringing longer and warmer growing seasons, but also pests and unstable weather.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Avian flu detected on poultry farm in Chilliwack, B.C.
The H5N1 strain of avian flu has been detected on a poultry farm in Chilliwack, British Columbia, marking the first confirmed case in the province this fall and prompting increased precautions among poultry farmers.
Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Highly pathogenic avian influenza confirmed in Pocahontas and Guthrie counties: No public health concern, says CDC
Two cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) have been confirmed in Pocahontas and Guthrie counties in Iowa, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there is no public health concern.
Iowa, United States
KGAN

Several hundred reindeer drowned in Porsanger
Several hundred reindeer drowned in Porsanger during their migration from summer to winter pastures, causing significant loss for the district and prompting the local government to offer crisis support to affected reindeer owners.
Skáiddejávri in Porsanger, Norway
NRK

Scientists observe chum salmon spawning in North Slope rivers
Scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks have observed an increase in chum salmon spawning in North Slope rivers, potentially indicating a shift in their population and a signal of climate change. Elizabeth Lindley, a Ph.D. student working on the project, says that while evidence of spawning in a new region may be a positive for salmon, the impact on important subsistence resources including Arctic char and Dolly Varden is uncertain.
Colville River, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Tribe catches coho salmon on free-flowing Elwha River, a first since dam removals
The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe catches coho salmon on the free-flowing Elwha River for the first time in over a century since the removal of dams, marking a historic moment for the tribe and the river's recovery.
Elwha River, Washington, United States
The Seattle Times

Thousands of Utah turkeys die after being infected with avian flu in Sanpete County
Thousands of turkeys in Sanpete County, Utah, have died from highly pathogenic avian influenza, leading to the quarantine and depopulation of the affected farm, with concerns about the potential impact on turkey sales during the upcoming holiday season.
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
FOX 13 News Utah (KSTU)

Cambodia records 2nd death from H5N1 bird flu so far this year
A 50-year-old man in Cambodia has died from H5N1 bird flu, marking the second death from the virus in the country this year. Prior to his death about 50 chickens had died and were shared with neighbors to eat.
Cambodia

Avian influenza death of Alaska polar bear is a global first and a sign of the virus' persistence
The highly pathogenic influenza that just claimed its first known polar bear victim continues to circulate in the world’s wild populations.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Alaska Beacon

Lack of rainfall cause for up to three weeks of delay for salmon spawning this season
In early October Vancouver Island reached a drought Level 4 which impacted wildlife across the coast. After a mass salmon die off in Bella Bella, concern grew regarding drought and a delayed salmon spawning season. Currently east Vancouver Island is at a drought level of 3, which means adverse impacts are possible, while west Vancouver Island is at a drought level of 2 with less likely impacts. Dave Rolson, Tseshaht First Nation’s fisheries manager, said, “Timing is everything, really, when it comes to fish and when it comes to environmental conditions.”
Bella Bella, British Columbia, Canada

Third Detection of CWD Confirmed in North Carolina Deer Herd
A third deer in North Carolina has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Officials with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission reported the deer was hunter-harvested in Surry County this archery season approximately 10 miles from the two previous positive detections in Yadkin County.
Dobson, North Carolina, United States
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

After September storm, Newtok residents are desperate to relocate
Melting permafrost and severe erosion have plagued the community for decades. The most recent storm brought waves so fierce, the water claimed roughly half of the 80 or so remaining feet of land that stands between the back end of the school and the edge of the Ningliq river.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Saxitoxin detected in regional clam
By Diana Haecker
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Salmon struggle to spawn amid record-setting drought
Record-setting drought conditions have left many of B.C’s streams and waterways too low for salmon to swim up to spawn. Heiltsuk First Nation leaders say hundreds of fish were found rotting in a creek in Bella Bella, B.C., usually teeming by fall with migrating pink and chum salmon.
CBC

Lots of dead krill washed up on Sarichef Island
Die-offs of krill are in some cases associated with hypoxia (low oxygen) excess sediment suspended in the water column and changes in water temperature. There were recent reports of high levels of Alexandrium in water samples in the areas, and Norton Sound Health Corporation is performing some testing of krill samples (see below). There was also an unprecedented storm event only a week ago, unusual for the storm surge and early season.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Brandon Ahmasuk, Dean Stockwell, Racheal Lee, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Anahma Shannon, Sadie McGill, Emma Pate

‘Some of them just disappeared’: Essential pieces of life in Nome were lost in the storm
Nome's landscape is physically altered, with raw material scattered wildly, the coastline reconfigured, and camps that anchored generations of subsistence either flattened or gone.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KTOO

As the storm raged, a mad rush to keep the power on in Hooper Bay
The storm could have threatened the town’s winter subsistence stock if not for the work of local power plant operators.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States
KTOO

‘Stebbins is resilient,’ Eastern Norton Sound communities recovering from storm damage
Several communities in the Norton Sound are struggling with contaminated drinking water days after the significant September storm hit the region.
Stebbins, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

‘Half of Golovin underwater,’ residents shovel sand out of homes
GOLOVIN RESIDENTS ARE IN CLEANUP MODE as their community works to restore power, phone service and clear debris. After the flood waters receded from the weekend’s severe fall storm, some locals are left with feet of sand in their homes. “At my place we’ve got three feet of sand we’re still shoveling out with the crew here, trying to get the sand out of the living area so we can get the sheetrock to go ahead and dry off,” Alaska Senator Donny Olson of Golovin said.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Storm bounty in clams
Storms can bring a bounty to the beach - driftwood sometimes or in this case, clams! But be careful out there. There are new concerns about emerging levels of harmful algae in Western Alaska waters, which could impact shellfish and human health.
Mertarvik, Alaska, United States
Louisa Castrodale, Chris Dankmeyer, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Gay Sheffield, Racheal Lee, Bob Gerlach, Brian Lefferts, Emma Pate, Joanna Barton, Julie Matweyou, Thomas Farrugia, Karen Pletnikoff

Where are the tomcods (Eleginus gracilis)? Kongiganak
The tomcod harvests in the Kongiganak, Cavuuneq and Ilkivik Rivers have been a failure. Also in other areas, based on observations from Chevak and Chefornak. Both the surface and bottom trawl results show a clear decline in tomcod biomass in the North Bering Sea.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States
Brian Lefferts, Anna Godduhn, Jennifer Hooper, Janelle Kinegak, Dana Diehl, Tracy Lewis, Gay Sheffield, Cynthia Paniyak, Natasia Kassel, Elizabeth Buckingham, Mike Brubaker

Where are tomcods / Naugat Ceturr'nat (Eleginus gracilis)? Chefornak
Not a single catch was reported in the village of Chefornak. Meanwhile in Kivalina, dozens and dozens of tomcods are pictured and posted on "The Alaska Life" Facebook page.
Chefornak, Alaska, United States

A timeline of how once-in-a-century flooding unfolded across B.C.
Extreme rain swamped rivers and farmland across southern B.C. and triggered mudslides that blocked every major highway connecting the Lower Mainland to the rest of the country in November 2021. This is a timeline of the first week of the crisis.
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
A Timeline of How Once In a Century Flooding Unfolded Across B.C.

25-30 reindeer drowned in the river today
25-30 reindeer drowned in the Kautokeino River today after a herd of reindeer passed through the ice. The accident happened when the herd of reindeer was crossing the fragile ice on the river. This is the third similar incident in the area in a couple of weeks. Yesterday, three reindeer went through the ice. They were all rescued alive. This article is also available in the Sami language at this
Heammogietti, Kautokeino, Troms og Finnmark fylke, Norway

Where are the tomcods (Eleginus gracilis)? Chevak
There is usually an abundance of this fish in the fall and early winter season. This is a usual harvest for most YK Delta coastal villages. Note: According to NOAA Bering Sea Bottom Trawl data, there has been an 88% decline reported in the biomass of saffron cod from 2020 to 2021 in the N. Bering Sea.
Chevak, Alaska, United States
Carmen Daggett, Gay Sheffield, Cynthia Paniyak, Jayde Ferguson, Ted Meyers

Chinook salmon returning in surprising numbers to Cowichan River
In 2009, the numbers dropped down to just 500 pairs of Chinook returning. Yet, as of Tuesday, more than 8,000 Chinook had returned to their Cowichan River spawning grounds. The improvement is the result of years of conservation efforts by Cowichan Tribes, who have worked to restore the river to its course before logging operations changed the river.
Cowichan River
CHEK

Valuable crab populations are in a ‘very scary’ decline in warming Bering Sea
King and snow crab populations in the Bering Sea have plummeted ahead of the harvest season, some by 99% compared to previous years.
Bering Sea
The Seattle Times

High water this summer changes travel on Noatak River
"This year we had a lot more rain than other years, we used to be able to get on our ATVs and travel 10-12 miles upriver. I haven't seen or heard of anyone using ATVs to travel upriver this year. I think the breakthrough channel has a lot to do with us not being able to travel on ATVs. I see a lot of my favorite ATV fishing spots washed away from the highwater."
Noatak, Alaska, United States

Trichinella advisory issued for Coral Harbour
Nunavut's Department of Health is warning Coral Harbour residents that trichinella has been detected in a walrus that was harvested on Aug. 21.
Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Norton Sound silver run among lowest harvests in decades
The commercial Silver harvest in the Norton Sound yielded the lowest numbers since 2002.This trend follows suit from last year as well, which yielded far less than projected. The run was “very poor,” Menard said. The preliminary catch was 7,100 Silvers. That’s less than half caught in the commercial fishery last year.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Decrease in Prawn Abundance of Desolation Sound
It is apparent that this area of coastline has experienced a sharp decline in its prawn populations. This may be due to increased fishing pressure from commercial prawn fishermen.
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
David Oswald, Cody Thomas, Conlan Magel, Tom Okey

Kings Make a Strong Showing on The Klamath
Early last week, we were waiting patiently for the fall run of king salmon to begin their migration upriver. Well, the wait is over. The...
Klamath, California, United States
North Coast Journal

Sunken scallop boat off Kodiak remains pollution hazard decades later
The sunken scallop boat, Saint Patrick, remains a pollution hazard off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska, decades after sinking in 1989, bringing up memories of a devastating fishing disaster in 1981 that claimed nine lives.
Womens Bay, Alaska, United States

H5N8 avian influenza detected in wild goose
Bird flu has been detected in a goose found in Rogaland. The Veterinary Institute has analyzed samples from the bird, which show highly pathogenic bird flu A (H5N8). This virus has caused outbreaks among birds in several European countries this autumn.
Rogaland, Norway
Outbreak News Today

Minor to Severe Erosion Across the Region Caused by Strong Bering Sea Storm
Late last week a strong Bering Sea storm hit the region, bringing winds up to 50mph, blowing snow, and high-water. Some communities saw significant erosion while others were mostly unscathed.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Ábborášša reindeer owners feel that they were forced to move over thin ice
The reindeer owners feel they had to choose. Pay expensive fines or move with the reindeer across the river even if the ice was too thin. On Saturday, a thousand reindeer went through the ice in Vuorašjávri, a mile east of Kautokeino municipality in Finnmark.
Vuorašjávri, Kautokeino, Finnmark Fylke, Norway

Dead giant octopuses washed ashore south from Kamchtka peninsula on the Kuril Islands
A mass die off of fish and invertebrates has been reported in the Sea of Okhotsk, west of Kamchatka. Dozens of surfers reported symptoms including including poor eyesight, fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes and head and throat aches.
Severo-Kuril’sk, Sakhalin, Russia
Siberian Times

Beached bowhead whales in Nunavut point to killer whale attacks
This past weekend a group of hunters on all-terrain vehicles found four dead bowhead whales lying on a beach about 60 kilometres north of the Nunavut community of Kugaaruk. Photos of the bowhead whales taken by Rene Kukkuvak, appear to have a torn tongues and rake-like gouges.
Kugaaruk, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Why so glum, chum? Scientists perplexed by this year's low chum salmon numbers in Yukon River
This year the Eagle station's fall chum estimate is 23,828 fish. This is far below the escapement goal of 70,000 to 104,000 fish.
Eagle, Alaska, United States

Eco disaster at Kamchatka peninsula with mass death of sea animals at precious Pacific beach
Khalaktyrsky Beach near Petropavlovsk is littered with hundreds of dead sea animals, from deep-sea Giant Pacific octopuses, to seals, sea urchins, stars, crabs and fish. Surfers were the first to raise alarm after problems with eyesight, fevers and throat aches.
Khalaktyrsky Beach
Siberian Times

Not much for berries or fireweed
"In a summer of continuous rainfall I would presume glorious growth and tons of picking...but this did not happen. The blueberries never took off, neither did the soap berries known to us as bear berries."
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

Salmon and smiles: 30,000 pounds of fish distributed in Whitehorse
The Yukon First Nations Education Directorate gave away 30,000 pounds of free fish as part of its nutritional program in Whitehorse this week. People were particularly happy to receive the donation because salmon are well below the historical average this year.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Mushers react to scary closure of chum fishery
A lack of chum salmon is causing pain in riverside communities of Yukon and Alaska, as mushers are left without a traditional source of food.
Old Crow, Yukon, Canada

Chilkat sockeye, coho, chum runs appear low compared to past years
So far, the department has counted just under 37,000 fish at the Chilkat weir, well below the 10-year average of 80,000 fish. Zeiser said at this point in the season, it’s doubtful the run will hit the escapement range of 70,000 to 150,000 fish.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Yukon River fall chum run the worst on record
About 189,000 fall chum had entered the Yukon River as of Sept. 7. At least 300,000 fish must enter the river before either Alaska or Yukon fishers can begin harvesting.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Pink salmon catches in Nunavik are raising red flags for biologists
After learning about catches of pink salmon near Salluit, Quebec wildlife officials are urging any fishers who net the newcomers to report their catch. Two pink salmon were netted in Nunavik during the summer of 2019 in the Ungava Bay region, one near Kangirsuk.
Kangirsuk, Quebec, Canada
ArcticToday

Nunavut government limits hunting of Dolphin and Union caribou herds
The Government of Nunavut is restricting harvest due to what it calls “a recent steep decline in the population” of the herd. That decline has led to a “conservation concern” about the western Nunavut herd’s numbers.
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada
ArcticToday

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with Dead or Dying Eggs
Dead or dying eggs in a female coho salmon are a possible symptom of environmental stress felt by the fish. In Western Alaska, water levels have been low following a rapid spring snowmelt and low precipitation.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States
Jayde Ferguson, Erica Lujan, Richard L Thoman Jr, Ted Meyers

'Funky' weather brings late harvest
It was out of habit that Rachel Kukull carried foraging tools while hiking through Chilkat State Park. The custom paid off when she spotted on the forest floor a flash of gold that made her scream. Chanterelles in November!
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Utqiagvik celebrates first whale of season in November
It's been a challenging year for whalers in Utqiagvik. Crews started going out in September, but found the bowheads weren't appearing in their usual concentrations in the waters closer to shore. On the water Nov. 16 Panigiuq Crew landed the first whale of the season for Utqiagvik, later than many people can remember ever bringing one in before.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Erosion threatens campsites at Nome River, Fort Davis
Severe erosion at the Nome River mouth has cost Rita Hukill and her family most of their land at their campsite at Fort Davis.
The Nome Nugget

Utqiagvik whalers still hope to land a bowhead as season wanes
Aerial surveys this September and October show the bowheads aren’t where they usually are.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

After summer of record heat, Alaska health officials see spike in scombroid poisoning from fish
Caused by eating fish that has not been properly chilled, symptoms can last up to 48 hours and include severe headaches, palpitations, blurred vision and abdominal cramps.At least seven people fell ill between May and August. Between 2015-2018, there were only five.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Unseasonable rains, lightning and thunder
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

As Bering Sea ice melts, Alaskans, scientists and Seattle's fishing fleet witness changes on a massive scale
Instead of halibut, fisherman are increasingly catching less valuable Pacific cod, voracious bottom feeders whose numbers in recent years have exploded.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
Seattle Times

Whitehorse fish ladder sees fewest chinook salmon since 1977
The number of chinook salmon that reached the Whitehorse fish ladder this year hit a 40-year low, and it's not clear why. Just 282 chinook passed through the fish ladder this year, compared to 690 last year. "We did see some large pre-spawn mortality die-offs in a tributary of the Yukon River — the Koyukuk in Alaska. This was for summer chum, and not chinook — but we expect that that higher water temperature also affected the chinook migrating through."
Whitehorse Fish Ladder, Yukon, Canada

Abundance of Hemlock Looper Moths (Lambdina fiscellaria)
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

State of emergency in Yakutsk as Russia’s permafrost river dries to a record low
Usually one of the most full flowing in Russia, the river tends to drop the level twice a year - but not by a catastrophic 2-2.5 meters as this year.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
Siberia Times

Poor Langoustine Season Could Mean Restaurant Shortage
In a good season, Skinney’s langoustine catch can reach 250-300 tons. This summer, it was only 38.
Höfn, East, Iceland
Iceland Review

Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Mortality
Thousands of smelts were found dead during low tide in the Togiak slough. Is there an environmental cause?
Togiak, Alaska, United States

Dirty water may be reason for very strange shortage of fish harvest, says N.W.T. angler
Anglers in Aklavik, N.W.T., are trying to figure out why there was a shortage of fish in local hotspots this year.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada

California fires: Number of missing soars over 1,000 as Paradise reels from unfathomable losses
The death toll in the Camp fire in Northern California rose to 63 Thursday as President Trump planned to visit California to meet with people impacted by the wildfires in what marks his second trip to the state since his election.
Paradise, California, United States
latimes.com
Alene Tchekmedyian, Nicole Santa Cruz, Javier Panzar

Herring (Clupea pallasii) in Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) stomach
Odd time of year for seals to be eating herring.
Haines, Alaska, United States

Jelly-like Meat Texture Found in Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida)
Ringed seal (*Phoca hispida*) found with jelly-like meat texture and thin skin near the armpit and ribcage.
Scammon Bay, Alaska, United States

Arctic communities won't get crucial supplies after barge cancelled due to excess sea ice
Three Arctic communities fear they've been cut off from crucial winter supplies and other necessities after a government-owned company cancelled an annual barge run.
Paulatuk, Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay
Global News

Parasite found in walrus meat in Sanikiluaq, warns health department
A walrus has tested positive for trichinella, also known as “pork worm” in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut according to the territorial health department.
Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, Canada

Angry Canadian crabs invade coast of Maine
While their main target appears to be the region's soft-shell clam population, they're also munching through acres of eelgrass, a native flowering plant that shelters and nourishes life under the sea.
Coastal Maine, United States
Mother Nature Network

Quebec farm under quarantine after animal with chronic wasting disease discovered in Laurentians
This is the first time CWD, which affects the nervous systems of deer and elk and has no known cure, has been discovered in the province.
Quebec, Canada

'Absolutely abysmal': Alberta farmers lament early arrival of snow in harvest season
Farmers in Edmonton and into northern Alberta, still have plenty of crop out on the fields and the early arrival of winter conditions does not bode well for harvest season.
Gibbons, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton Journal

Gulf of Maine Water Temperatures Soar Near Record Highs After Ocean 'Heat Wave'
NOAA and NASA satellites measured an average sea-surface temperature of 68.93 degrees Fahrenheit in the Gulf of Maine on Aug. 8, only 0.05 degrees below the all-time record high of 68.98 set in 2012. It is the epicenter of the U.S. lobster fishing industry, an important feeding ground for rare North Atlantic right whales .
Gulf of Maine
The Weather Channel

Indigenous reindeer herders request emergency aid after drought, wildfires
The Swedish Saami Association is demanding a comprehensive aid package from Stockholm after a season of unprecedented drought and wildfire ravaged the country, including key reindeer grazing areas.
Swedish Sapmi
RCI | English

How debris from rockets launched far away is a risk to Inuit food security
The North Water Polynya, between Nunavut and Greenland, is one of the Arctic’s most biologically productive areas — and an important part of the food supply for nearby Inuit communities.
Pikialasorsuaq North Water, North Baffin Bay
Arctic Today
Tiff-Annie Kenny, University of Ottawa, Tad Lemieux, Carleton University

Rise in reindeer deaths in the Arctic linked with loss of sea ice and extreme weather
Two extreme weather events in 2006 and 2013 caused mass starvation among the reindeer herds, and researchers for the first time have linked these extreme weather events in the coastal mainland in northwest Russia with sea ice loss in the adjoining Barents and Kara seas.
Ямало-Ненецкий АО, Russia
Phys.org

Are Ocean Conditions Right for Vibrio parahaemolyticus?
Resident becomes sick after consuming oysters and wonders what is being done to prevent future outbreaks of *V parahaemolyticus*, this new climate related illness in Alaska.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Mike Brubaker, Soumik Basu, Santina Gay, James Berner

Low Salmon Numbers
Commercial and Subsistence Harvest
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus) with Hair Loss
11-18-15 Bearded seal with hair loss - Shishmaref, Alaska, USA
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Unseasonably Warm
11-13-14 Unseasonable warm - Unalakleet, Alaska, USA
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Starvation killed 80,000 reindeer after unusual Arctic rains cut off the animals’ food supply
Sixty-one thousand reindeer starved to death in the northwestern reaches of the Russian tundra in November 2013 in the largest recorded mortality event of its kind.
Ямало-Ненецкий АО, Russia
Washington Post

Ice Fishing Hazardous
11-4-13 Ice fishing hazardous - Golovin, Alaska, USA
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Warm weather delays subsistence
10-24-13 Warm weather delays subsistence - Shaktoolik, Alaska, USA
Shaktoolik, Alaska, USA

No Ice Fishing Yet
10-17-13 No ice fishing yet - Shishmaref, Alaska, USA
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Too Wet for Food Preserving
10-15 13 Too wet for food preservation - Elim, Alaska, USA
Elim, Alaska, United States

Great Year for Mushrooms
This has been a great year for the mushrooms
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

No Snow on the Seward Peninsula
Despite the time of year, there is still no snow on the Seward Peninsula.
Elim, Alaska, United States

Shell shock - thousands of Ninilchik clams wash up on beach in unusual die-off
A winter storm lashed the sandy beaches at the mouth of the Ninilchik River with ferocious waves, powerful enough to uproot thousands of razor clams.
Ninilchik, Alaska, United States
Redoubt Reporter

Oh, rats! Rodent sighting means Anchorage has infestations, too
Anchorage can no longer claim to be the largest port city in the Northern Hemisphere without known rat infestations. State biologist Rick Sinnott caught and kille dtwo Norway rats found living at a pond near a South Anchorage school. Professional exterminatiors hired by the city placed more traps at the scene Monday afternoon.
Associated Press

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