LEO Network

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

Observations

Goldfish are thriving in a Midtown Anchorage pond. Alaska wildlife biologists want them gone.
The fish, likely former aquarium pets, have attracted the attention of invasive-species managers.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Sea Lice Plagues Return and Threat to Wild Salmon Increases
Major sea lice epidemics have erupted on Atlantic salmon fish farms on Vancouver Island’s west coast over the last three months, according to industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and independent reports.
Clayquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

Red Velvet Mite (Family Trombidiidae) Found Near Potters Marsh
Unfamiliar insect found near Potters Marsh, identified as a red velvet mite (family *Trombidiidae*).

Strange Growth in Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
An unusual growth was found in a snow goose (*Anser caerulescens*) while it was being butchered. The growth may be related to a previous injury or illness that the bird healed from.
Stebbins, Alaska, United States
Jerry Hupp, Mike Brubaker, Kathy Burek Huntington, Harold Okitkun, Todd O'Hara

Odd condition of Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
"Looked normal at first then we started to butcher it found some unusual stuff on the insides."
Kwigillingok, Alaska, United States

Distemper Remains Likely Cause of Gulf of Maine Seal Die-Off
Scientists have narrowed down the top likely causes of more than 1,400 seal deaths across New England.
Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States
National Public Radio

Bacterial Infection in 16 Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus)
The skin lesion in the photo is likely caused by a stress-related bacterial infection – possibly trauma initiated. Probably common opportunistic bacteria in the environment such as motile Pseudomonas/Aeromonas Gram-negative organisms.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States

Finland's wolf population sees up to 50 percent growth this year
According to the Natural Resources Institute (Luke), the wolf population is expanding into the south and west – but winter will once more contain their numbers.
Posio, Lapland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

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
CBC

How much has this caribou herd dropped since 2001? 99 per cent
The George River caribou herd, which straddles Labrador and Quebec, is in a critical state, according to biologists.
Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
CBC

Algae blooms closes Moreau Lake swimming beach
MOREAU - The Moreau Lake State Park swimming beach has been closed due to an algal bloom causing potential health hazards, a spokesman for the state Officer Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said Wednesday.
The beach was closed Tuesday afternoon as a precaution, said Dan Keefe, a spokesman for State Parks in Albany.
Moreau Lake, New York, United States
Times Union

Lots of bees!
More bees seen enjoying sweet clover thus year than in recent years.

X-Cell Tumor Around the Gills of a Black Rockfish (Sebastes melonops)
Black Rockfish (*Sebastes melonops*) caught with X-Cell tumor.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Orcas of the Pacific Northwest Are Starving and Disappearing
The population of endangered killer whales has hit a 30-year-low, numbering only 75 this year.
Seattle, Washington, United States
New York Times

Fatal feline feces: Scientists discover cause for recent monk seal deaths
State officials are now blaming toxoplasmosis, a parasite carried in cat feces, for the deaths of three critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals on Oahu.
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Hawaii News Now

With 50+ Ringed Seal Sightings, Unalaskans Start Tracking The Unexpected Species
Unalaskans are used to spotting marine mammals around the island. But lately, they're not just seeing whales or otters. They're seeing ringed seals — an Arctic species that typically lives far north of the ice-free Aleutian Islands.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States
KUCB

Parasite (Taenia krabbei) in Caribou Meat
Muscle tapeworm cysts in caribou meat.
Togiak, Alaska, United States

Tick-infested moose a 1st for Cree territory in Northern Quebec
A parasite wreaking havoc on moose populations in southern Quebec has been found for the first time in Cree territory, prompting local officials to ask hunters to be on the lookout. Winter ticks thrive in the shorter, warmer winters, which have become more prevalent in recent years.
Nemaska, Quebec, Canada
CBC

How climate change could make the threat a tiny pathogen poses to northern Canada a lot worse
T. gondii infection in people was found to be associated with drinking water from home water tanks where T. gondii parasites remained, clinging to the walls—so cleaning of these water tanks would be one way to reduce infection.
Kuujjuaq, Quebec, Canada
Arctic Now

Beaufort Sea polar bears are spending more time on land — and becoming more exposed to land-based diseases, scientists find
The animals didn't necessarily become sick, researchers said, but were encountering the new pathogens much more frequently.
Arctic Now

Silver Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with Cysts
Silver salmon, caught 10 miles up the Twin Hills River, had small white patches in flesh.
Twin Hills, Alaska, United States

Increase in Red Voles and Gray Shrews
Increase in red voles and gray shrews, compared to the last three years.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Alarm as 'super malaria' spreads
The usual treatments are failing 60% of the time in some regions of Cambodia, scientists say.
BBC News

Parasites on Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
Parasite identified as sea lice.
Whipple Creek, Alaska, United States

Day of reckoning for marine invaders
For centuries, marine species have moved around either by hitching ride on the hulls of ships or as stowaways in ballast water. In many instances, species have been deliberately introduced for aquaculture or other commercial purposes.
United Kingdom
Phys.org

Here’s what that farmed fish escape in Washington could mean for Alaska
Some are concerned about the farmed Atlantic salmon coming to Alaska and bringing unwelcome competition for native species.
Anacortes, Washington, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

'Environmental Nightmare' After Thousands Of Atlantic Salmon Escape Fish Farm
Officials blame the failure of a pen near Washington's Cypress Island on high tides caused by the eclipse, but that is being questioned. Fishing boats are scrambling to catch as many as possible.
Deepwater Bay, Washington, United States
NPR.org

110 salmon counted on Salmon River; tribe says new research could lead to protections
Another troubling sign of the poor state of this year's Pacific Ocean salmon runs was discovered on one the Klamath River's tributaries after an annual fish survey counted the second lowest number of spring-run Chinook salmon on record.
Salmon River, California
Eureka Times-Standard

Moose (Alces alces) with Boils on Hind Legs
Identified by ADFG as skin irritation caused by moose flies, (*Haematobosca alcis*) bites.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Coyote tapeworm in Alberta: 5th human case reported
A relatively rare tapeworm has popped up in several patients in Alberta, Canada in the past few years, which may not sound like much; however, the only other human case in Canada was in 1928 in Manitoba. The parasite is called Echinococcus multilocularis and it appearance in Alberta has caught the attention of some infectious …
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Outbreak News Today

Entomologist tracks the year in Alaska bugs
Bugs of various shapes and sizes are part of life in Alaska, and it can be easy for them to escape notice.
Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Parasite worms its way into Alberta, infecting humans through dogs, coyotes
University of Alberta scientists are alerting the public to a potentially lethal tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis which infects humans through the feces of coyotes and dogs.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
CBC News

Ten Alaskans were sickened by raw or undercooked walrus. A parasite was in the meat, CDC says.
Alaskans from St. Lawrence Island were hospitalized with the food-borne parasite trichinella, which used to more typically infect pork. The CDC and state public health officials issued warnings.
Gambell, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Fish & Game: Ticks on the rise in Alaska
They're a parasite many people don't think live in Alaska, but Fish and Game says ticks are here and their numbers are on the rise.
Alaska, United States
KTVA Alaska

Polar bear in Nunavik's northernmost community? No, it's a black bear.
Black bears typically stay near the treeline — but what was this guy doing so far up North, away from it?
Salluit, Nunavut, Canada
CBC News

Lone Star Tick invades Southeast
Tick season is here and it's no secret the parasites can transmit dangerous diseases.But there's a relatively new and rare tick-borne disorder that causes an allergic reaction to red meat called 'Alpha Gal.'Jasmine Bailey reports how the tick that carries
Mobile, Alabama, United States
WPMI

State checks dead mule deer near North Pole for dreaded parasite
Alaska Department of Fish and Game seeks the public's help in determining the date that an exotic deer died near North Pole.
North Pole, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Parasite on a Hooligan's (Thaleichthys pacificus) Gill
A parasitic copepod- similar to or possibly *Salmincola*.
Lutak Inlet, Alaska, United States

Stranded, lethargic ringed seal found far south of normal icy habitat
A parasite-riddled seal afraid of the water is the first Alaska marine mammal rescued in 2017. The seal will not be returned to the wild if it continues to survive rehabilitation at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.
Seward, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Researchers identify widespread parasite in Alaska scallops
The prevalence of "weak meats" syndrome in 2014, 2015 meant that somewhere on the order of half of all scallops shucked couldn’t be marketed. That was much higher than the fleet had ever seen before.
Kamishak Bay, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

When Globalization Brings Brain-Invading Worms
The parasite that causes rat lungworm disease is now endemic in the southeastern United States, and it’s expected to spread northward.
Hilo, Hawaii, United States
The Atlantic

Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) with Lesions
Lesions on this Dolly Varden or Arctic char are most likely furuncles caused by a common bacterial pathogen called Aeromonas salmonicida.
Goodnews Bay, Alaska, United States
Alice Julius, Ted Meyers, Jayde Ferguson

Asian tapeworm found in Alaskan salmon
Scientists recently announced they had found an Asian tapeworm species in pink salmon caught off the coast of the Kenai Peninsula. Listen now
Hope, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

White Fish (C. nelsonii) with Saprolegnia Fungus
Had pus on them.
Chefornak, Alaska, United States

2 Your Health: What to do if you get Swimmer's Itch
When temperatures are warm enough, it's a time many Alaskans take their families out swimming. Sometimes the fun comes along with an annoying rash known as 'Swimmer's Itch.'
KTUU

Growth On Sheefish (Stenodus leucichthys) Heart
Tapioca like growth identified as larval trematode parasites (digenean metacercariae).
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

More Murre Deaths (Uria aalge)
Dead murres on beach
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States
Caroline Van Hemert, Barbara Bodenstein, Christopher Anahonak

Dead Seabirds
Dead seabirds found in Goodnews Bay.
Goodnews Bay, Alaska, United States
Alice Julius, Arlene Shimanek, Barbara Bodenstein

Swimming Moose (Alces alces) Dies
Swimming moose dies
Aleknagik, Alaska, United States

Bullfrogs threaten B.C. ecosystems
While their kin are declining worldwide, Canada’s largest amphibian, the bullfrog, is multiplying out of control in British Columbia — with some human help
Southwestern British Columbia
Canadian Geographic

Infected salmon just another problem for Yukon subsistence fishermen
Yukon subsistence fishermen face challenges with gear restrictions, closures, and reports of salmon potentially infected with ichthyophonus, impacting their summer fishing activities.
Yukon River, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Rotten Smell and Mushy Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) and Pacific Halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis)
Mushy meat texture, and rotten smell found in sockeye salmon and pacific halibut.
Meshik River, Alaska Peninsula, Alaska, United States

Moose (Alces alces) with Hair Loss
A moose was seen with some of its fur missing.

Dead Black-capped (Parus atricapillus) Chickadee
The bird was flying and just dropped dead.
St. Marys, Alaska, United States

Sick Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)
11-29-14 Sick harbor seal - Chefornak, Alaska, USA
Chefornak, Alaska, United States
Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Gay Sheffield, Janelle Kinegak

Mollusks in Moose (Alces alces) Gut
11-29-14 Mollusks in moose gut - Egegik, Alaska, USA
Egegik, Alaska, United States

Arctic Char with Sores and Parasites (Salmincola)
10-24-15 Arctic char with sores and parasites - Quinhagak, Alaska, USA
Quinhagak, Alaska, USA

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with Parasites
9-24-14 Coho salmon with parasites - New Stuyahok, Alaska, USA
New Stuyahok, Alaska, United States

Advisory - Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) Safety
3-5-14 Advisory - beluga safety
Point Hope, Alaska, United States

Needle Fish with Lesions
Needle fish with lesions observed.
Chefornak, Alaska, United States

Alaska farmers scramble for hay
A one-two punch of mid-May snow followed by a six-week drought cut the supply of Alaska-grown hay from Homer to Fairbanks by a third to a half, state Division of Agriculture officials say.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Growth in Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
8-12-13 Growth in coho salmon - Hydaburg, Alaska, USA
Hydaburg, Alaska, United States

Sick Spotted Seal (Phoca largha)
Local hunter reported that he had caught a spotted seal that he thought was sick.
Eek, Alaska, United States

Worms (Splendidofilaria pectoralis) in Grouse and Ptarmigan
Species of nematode *Splendidofilaria pectoralis* has been described in blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus pallidus) in British Columbia, but never as far north and west as Unalakleet.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Victoria Kotongan, Caroline Van Hemert, Todd O'Hara

Dead Grey Whale
8-7-12 Dead grey whale - Nome, Alaska, USA
Nome, Alaska, United States

Parasite causing problems for B.C. salmon farmers
Some B.C.-farmed salmon is reaching store shelves with a parasite that can liquefy the fish’s flesh into an unappetizing goop.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CTVNews

First Elephant Seal Born at Race Rocks
Ryan has observed a lot of aggression on the part of the young male which had previously been named Misery by Mike Slater. The baby was born beside the helicopter pad, and has spent the first day t…
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, British Columbia, Canada
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve- Marine mammals, seabirds

Alaska salmon may bear scars of global warming
With a sickening thud, another hefty and handsome salmon lands in the waste barrel, headed for the dogs .
Tanana, Alaska, United States
latimes.com

Support

Observation Template