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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

Beluga whalers in Northwest Alaska, North Slope boast a great 2021 season
With relatively calm summer weather, an Utqiagvik crew landed at least 11 beluga whales this season, Wainwright was lucky to caught 50, and Kotzebue Sound saw the second-highest harvest in more than a decade, according to local hunters.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

As some in wind-blasted Mat-Su finally get power, others continue to contend with bursting pipes and frigid cold
Mat-Su schools will be closed again Wednesday, and 5,000 homes remained without electricity Tuesday night after a violent windstorm hammered the Valley.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Researchers try packing down snow to preserve permafrost in N.W.T.
A permafrost scientist in the N.W.T. is leading an experiment that compacts snow near the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway to see if that will slow down permafrost thaw and protect buildings and roads built atop it.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Whitehorse landslide cleanup and wall construction set to begin next week
Cleanup of the landslide debris in Whitehorse and the construction of the sheet pile wall are set to begin on Wednesday or Thursday next week, say city officials.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
CBC

A creeping mass of insect larvae near a Denali lodge raises the question: ‘Am I hallucinating?’
A worker in Kantishna glimpsed the rare phenomenon in which hundreds of Alaska gnat snakeworm larvae formed a crawling column.
Healy, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Wildfire smoke from Southwest Alaska hinders air quality and visibility in Southcentral
Smoke from dozens of active wildfires in Southwest Alaska moved across a large portion of the state on Sunday, worsening the visibility and air quality in several regions, including around Anchorage and Southcentral. The haze in the Anchorage area was expected to ease somewhat early in the week.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

France mulls rescue plan for whale in River Seine
They say the animal is currently near a lock at Vernon, about 70km (43 miles) north-west of Paris.Experts are puzzled as to why the animal has strayed so far south from its natural habitat.
Vernon, Normandy, France
BBC News

Cougar spotted crossing Hwy 3 outside Yellowknife
The animal was spotted Thursday about seven or eight kilometres away from the sand pits.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Earthquake swarm signals unrest at volcano in Alaska’s western Aleutian Islands
It’s not clear whether the unrest will lead to an eruption at Tanaga Volcano, which is located on an uninhabited island about 65 miles from Adak.
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Scientists Find Worrisome Lesions on Endangered Southern Resident Orcas
The peer-reviewed research published this week in the Public Library of Science suggests that 99% of the orcas studied had photographic evidence of skin lesions. Researchers evaluated photos from nearly 20,000 orca sightings from 2004 to 2016, finding that lesions — often gray patches and gray targets on the orcas' skin — generally became more prevalent over time.
Seattle, Washington, United States
The Daily Chronicle

Invasive slug species slimes into city
The European black slug was first introduced into Alaska in the 1980s in Cordova, Slowik said. It eventually made its way to Juneau and Ketchikan, likely hitching a ride on fishing gear, and is now prevalent across Southeast. A few years ago, people started seeing the slug in Whittier and Girdwood.

Shishaldin Volcano spews new ash cloud, prompting aviation warnings
“Significant ash emissions” were possible for several hours following the unrest on Shishaldin Volcano in the Aleutians, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Mt. Shishaldin

Havana mansions crumble as residents live in fear
Havana mansions in Cuba are crumbling due to neglect, bad weather, and economic crisis, leaving residents living in fear of collapse and struggling to receive help from authorities. Cuba’s housing crisis is one of the most pressing challenges facing the island, where a humid climate, the passage of hurricanes and other storms, poor maintenance and a low completion rate of new ones are usually among the top complaints of Cubans.
Havana, La Habana, Cuba

Warm weather affects everything from food to medevacs in Sachs Harbour, N.W.T.
Every year, Aklak Air switches to flying a Twin Otter to Sachs Harbour in the spring and fall because the gravel runway is too soft for other aircraft. The switch usually lasts for a few days, up to a week, but this fall's warm weather made it necessary for longer and its effects were felt beyond the runway.
Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, Canada

Wildlife refuge pond in Hawaii mysteriously turns bubble-gum pink after drought
Halobacteria thrive in bodies of water with high levels of salt. The salinity inside the Kealia Pond outlet area is currently greater than 70 parts per thousand, twice the salinity of seawater. Maui's drought is likely contributing to the situation. Normally Waikapu Stream feeds into Kealia Pond and raises water levels there, but Wolfe said that hasn't happened in a long time.
Kīhei, Hawaii, United States
NBC Connecticut

Tornado damages houses, causes power outages in Fort St. John
"I've worked forecast in this area for 33 years. It's very rare. I don't remember any community in B.C. having that much damage from a tornado in my career or in the Peace," said meteorologist Doug Lundquist.
Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada

Landslide damages water lines in Sequoyah County
"The damage happened at about 2 a.m. Monday morning when heavy rain caused the landslide and damaged about 2,000 feet of lines."
Sequoyah, Oklahoma, United States

Nunavut monsoon in southern Baffin Island could break records, say experts
The weather is a result of a low-pressure system from the East Coast heading northward from Labrador, fueled by the moisture in the Atlantic Ocean.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Lack of food drives away southern resident killer whales
The southern resident killer whales who returned to their traditional summer feeding grounds in the Salish Sea on Tuesday and Wednesday after a long absence have apparently left again, and although most of the members of J-, K- and L-Pods appeared to be healthy, at least one may be close to starvation.
Salish Sea
Times Colonist

Helicopter deployed to scare aggressive polar bears from reindeer settlements on Yamal peninsula
Seven polar bears, including a wounded mother bear with two cubs, were scared away by rescuers after they got dangerously close to reindeer herders at several locations on the Yamal peninsula. There are concern over rising numbers of the Arctic’s largest predators leaving their natural habitat and coming closer to humans.
Siberian Times

Relentless heat wave and lack of rain scorching Saskatchewan crops
Crops across much of Saskatchewan are scorched, stunted and thin as they wither under the unrelenting heat wave blanketing Saskatchewan, according to the province's latest crop report.
Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada

A record number of Atlantic walruses recorded in the Russian Arctic
According to preliminary data, more than seven thousand walruses were recorded, which is two times as many as last year. This was also when the largest walrus habitat in the history of Arctic exploration was found on the northernmost island of the Franz Josef Land archipelago, the Eva-Liv island.
Franz Josef Land
The Independent Barents Observer

New Invasive Species Detected in Alaska
Last summer while scoping for marine invasive species we found the invasive colonial tunicate, Didemnum vexillum also know as marine vomit.
Sitka, Alaska, United States
ADFG News

Nairobians Warned Over Looming Water Shortage
Murang’a County Director of Meteorology Paul Murage stated that the ongoing short rains are below average and expressed worries that the Ndakaini dam may not achieve full capacity by the end of the season. Following the low water volume residents in the city will experience water rationing in areas that are served by the dam as early as next year.
Nairobi, Kenya
Kenyans.co.ke

Winds knock out internet for days
High winds at the Muklung tower blew the antenna pointing at Levelock out of alignment. It was too windy for the technicians to fly back to finish repairs at the Muklung site on Thursday. On Friday, the cooperative said they were able to reach the site, but the winds were still too strong for them to climb the tower to fix the antenna.
Levelock, Alaska, United States
Bristol Bay Times

Heavy snow in Interior Alaska this winter has bison hanging out on plowed roads and digging up farmland
Bulldozer crews have cleared trails and fields for the bison in hopes of reducing the danger of collisions and damaged fields. There's a layer of ice up to two inches thick within the snowpack that has further complicated foraging.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Spring bounty: Utqiagvik landed 10 whales in less than two weeks
This early in spring, the season usually only starts, but the weather patterns have been changing, and so has been the harvest time, Donovan said.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Butterflies in the middle of winter and other insects in our homes
In Two Rivers,at a time when the outside air’s temperature has not been above freezing since October — three butterflies living in a heated garage.
Two Rivers, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Cambodia tests more people for bird flu after death of 11-year-old girl
Cambodia has tested at least 12 people for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, the health ministry said, after an 11-year-old girl died this week from the virus in the first known transmission to humans in the country in nearly a decade.
Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Reuters

Fort McPherson, N.W.T., declares emergency as flooding threatens access to drinking water
The hamlet said it's declaring a state of emergency because flooding from the Peel River cut off access to the community's airport, and because access to fresh water could be "inaccessible in the imminent future."
Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, Canada

Ice jam floods Buckland
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Buckland, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Yukon declares state of emergency in Mayo due to wildfire threat
The Yukon government has declared a state of emergency in the Mayo area, as a wildfire continues to threaten the community that was evacuated on Sunday.
Mayo, Yukon, Canada

Avian flu virus found in wild duck in Fairbanks is a danger to domestic fowl
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists collected the sample containing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N2 virus, or HPAI, from a mallard during a routine bird-banding activity. The HPAI virus is not considered a threat to humans, Alaska officials said.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

More than 500 empty barrels were collected by volunteers from the ancient Eskimo settlement of Unazik
Residents of the Providensky urban district, together with border guards and military personnel, cleared the territory near Cape Chaplin from barrels. Volunteers collected more than 500 old empty barrels near the ancient Eskimo settlement Unazik, Chukotka news agency reports.
Provideniya, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Lone beluga whale spotted on Yukon River near Tanana
Spirit camp participants and residents along the Yukon River were shocked to see a lone beluga whale on the Yukon River in early August.
Rampart, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Anchorage’s white raven achieves celebrity status, inspiring art, lore and adulation
Biologists say the white raven is a genuinely uncommon creature. It’s not albino, but leucistic, evidenced by its sky-blue eyes. Given its rarity, it’s likely the same white raven that was first spotted on the Kenai Peninsula this summer.An “Anchorage White Raven Spottings” Facebook group has amassed close to 13,000 followers.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

As Fort Simpson, N.W.T., ferry crossing opens for the season, low water levels worry mayor
Sean Whelly the mayor of Fort Simpson is worried that low water levels could impact the ferry’s ability to operate, potentially leaving the community isolated in the summer months.The water levels are the lowest he's ever seen at this time of year.
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada

Bizarre sight over Sydney stuns onlookers: 'What is it?'
Wild theories emerged online about what the strange mass could be. Scientist believe the mass was in fact a scud cloud, a type of cloud that appears at low height above ground. It's usually detached and of irregular form.
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Yahoo News

Fishermen of the Chukotka village of Uelen accidentally caught a dolphin
Fishermen in the Chukotka village of Uelen unexpectedly caught a dolphin, an unusual event given the region's typical marine life, sparking interest and discussion among local observers and experts.
Uelen, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Corals in peril at a popular Hawaiian tourist destination due to global climate change
Researchers from the Coral Reef Ecology Lab at the Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology documented the third global bleaching event as it occurred from 2014 to 2016 at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve (HBNP) on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i. Their findings, published in the international journal PeerJ, show that temperature is by far the most influential factor in coral bleaching at this well-managed location where corals, fish, and all other organisms are protected.
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Hawaii, United States
EurekAlert!

Miami is shattering heat records during a wildly-warm start to 2020, even by Florida standards
"Miami’s temperature climbed to 95 on Friday, at a time of year when average highs are 83."
Miami, Florida, United States
Washington Post

Fish kill in Windsor area
Local fisherman Darren Porter saw this coming. "It's just common sense. I mean, you can’t take your fishbowl and put it on your stove.”
Lake Pusiquid, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
SaltWire

Yukon Southern Lakes residents in 'emergency mode' as water levels rise
Residents in Yukon's Southern Lakes region are bracing for the worst as water levels continue to creep dangerously high.
Marsh Lake, Yukon, Canada

Walruses held captive by Killer whales near Provideniya
A group of about 30 walruses have been observed by residents of providence village in Emma Bay for the past few days. As the specialists of the Beringia National Park specified, killer whales drove marine mammals there, Chukotka news agency reports.
Provideniya, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Prochukotku

Record heatwave retreating next week
Finland’s sizzling temperatures will drop down to around 20 degrees Celsius next week.
Kouvola, Kymenlaakso, Finland
Yle Uutiset

North Saskatchewan River Turns Blue
The river, which starts at the Saskatchewan Glacier in the Columbia Icefields and flows through to central Saskatchewan, is usually murky brown by the time it reaches Edmonton in summer. In recent weeks, however, the water has taken on the hues of Alberta's glacial lakes, thanks to dry, hot weather combined with maintenance at a major dam.
North Saskatchewan River, Alberta, Canada

Yukon River Silvers On Track For Lowest Runs Ever
This season is shaping up to be the worst fall for salmon fishing on the Yukon River in recorded history. It follows the worst recorded summer salmon season ever.
Nunam Iqua, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Great white egret attracts attention in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
Egrets are more usually spotted in the Everglades or on the Pacific coast so the presence of this egret immediately attracted local photographers, including Bernice Sandy, who took many photos of the unusual bird.
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

Red Lily Beetle (Lilioceris lilii) settles in Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Short on diesel fuel, North Slope sewage pipes break
The sewage pipes are protected from low temperatures with a heating system that runs on diesel. Throughout December and into January, several communities in the North Slope and Northwest Arctic have been scrambling for diesel, as well as gas and heating oil, essential to thaw pipes, heat homes and run snowmachines.
Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Winter storm lashes East Coast with deep snow, high winds
Parts of 10 states and some major population centers — including Philadelphia, New York and Boston — were pummeled by the storm.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Associate Press

Kotzebue weather swings wildly between cold snap, snow
With cold air, light winds, and clear skies, Kotzebue weather dropped to 44 degrees below zero on Jan. 19 - the lowest temperature in nearly 10 years. The low temperature was followed by a late evening high of 6 above zero. The only greater calendar day increase in the city happened on Feb 18, 2009.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Baby lobster numbers low off New England as waters warm
New data show the population of baby lobsters off New England is below average, raising concerns about the size of future commercial hauls of the valuable crustaceans as waters warm.
Gulf of Maine
Press Herald

Sounding the alarm about the lobster population: We must reverse the trend now
The lobster population along the Norwegian coast is much worse off than first thought. New research shows a huge decline.
Arendal, Agder, Norway
NRK

Large wildfire on Lewis in the Western Isles extinguished
The fire came at a time of heightened risk of wildfires in parts of Scotland due to dry weather and large areas of dead vegetation. Other incidents included fires on Ben Lomond in the Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, on Gruinard Island in Wester Ross and near Dornoch.
Aviemore, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Rhine River – Europe’s Second-Largest River – Runs Dry
Water levels at the chokepoint of Kaub, near Frankfurt, fell to 32 cm (13 inches) in depth on Monday, down from 42 cm (17 inches) last week. Ships, however, need around 1.5 m (5 feet) to be able to sail fully loaded.
Cologne, Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées, France

Crabbers catch fewer crab, see lower price
Summer commercial Dungeness crabbing was well below average in Lynn Canal, with fishermen hauling in an estimated 105,000 pounds this year compared
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Permafrost thaw is causing Noatak's grave site to erode
The issue of erosion is not new to Noatak cemetery. The old cemetery was located near the Noatak's airstrip, but in 1993, the spring breakup caused 30 feet of erosion adjacent to the cemetery. Flooding during the fall of 1994 further threatened the site, so residents relocated 200 graves to the north side of town.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Potholes leave Skye A-road 'like farm track'
The rutted stretch between Portree and north-west Skye has numerous potholes due to cold and wet weather.
Portree, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

May heat wave highlights further need for climate change adaptation in Oregon
Portland could see record breaking temperatures over the weekend, with weather conditions similar to the deadly heat dome event in 2021, which prompted swift action from city and local organizations to help residents. But some say more needs to be done.
Portland, Oregon, United States
opb

More than 20 ptarmigan allegedly wasted near Yellowknife
In the wake significant caribou wastage late last month along the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road, there is another instance of what appears to be wastage related to ptarmigan. Yellowknife resident Brad Olson shared a social media post earlier this month showing what appears to be almost two dozen birds killed and left to rot.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
NNSL Media

Warm weather in Alaska highlights risk climate change poses to future Arctic Winter Games
After a warm Arctic Winter Games in Alaska, some officials and coaches have suggested moving the games up from March to February in an effort to ensure that temperatures are cold enough for winter sports.
Palmer, Alaska, United States

Over 1,300 Trumpeter Swans touch down in M'Clintock Bay, Yukon
The loudest sign of spring in southern Yukon is the return of the trumpeter swans. Thousands take a rest and refuel in M'Clintock Bay. As the CBC's Cheryl Kawaja reports, this year, they're about a week ahead of schedule.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Iceland volcano near Reykjavik erupts for the 7th time in a year
Around 50 homes were evacuated, along with guests at the famous Blue Lagoon resort, according to the national broadcaster.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland

Christchurch beach turns pink after millions of krill left high and dry by the tide
Otago University's Marine Science Professor Steve King said the summer stranding is nothing to be alarmed about. "It's a natural cycle of the pelagic food where climate change is happening but it is mostly manifested in the warm water conditions we are seeing right now."
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
NZ Herald

Opposites Attract? – Melanistic Big Cat and Lavender Guinea Fowl
Our melanistic cougar sighting occurred late spring in our own backyard, just over 10 years ago. In the growing dusk, I saw a large black animal about 12 feet up in the tree with one of our lavender guinea fowl in its mouth, delicate lavender feathers drifting down in front of me.
Valemount, British Columbia, Canada

Salmon Fishing On Lower Yukon Shut Down
On the Yukon River, subsistence salmon fishing is being closed to protect king salmon as they migrate upriver.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Elsa Spreading Heavy Rain From the Southeast Into the Mid-Atlantic; Tropical Storm Warnings Extend Into the Northeast
The system became Tropical Storm Elsa on July 1, the earliest forming fifth named Atlantic storm on record in the satellite era (since 1966). The old record was, which developed a year ago on the evening of July 5.
Brigantine, New Jersey, United States
The Weather Channel

‘It’s pretty dire’: Vancouver Island salmon under threat from climate change-induced droughts
Since the initial June to July heatwave shocked the Pacific Northwest, Heim says the Tsolum River Restoration Society has observed significantly fewer fish in the river, especially in its lower portions. Many of the remaining coho, which survived the heat wave, are suffering from diseases and fin rot as a result of heat stress.
Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

3rd and 4th known cases of ‘Alaskapox’ — both mild — were recently diagnosed in the Fairbanks area
How the virus is contracted and how long it’s been around still remain a mystery. But researchers have found evidence in small mammals.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Tropical fish follow warmer waters south, devouring kelp forests
They are brightly coloured, beautiful and hungry — tropical fish and sea urchins are thriving in southern waters warmed by climate change. But now they are devastating kelp forests already knocked around by marine heatwaves.
southern Australia
ABC News

Extremely rare visitor: Black Vulture spotted in Burgeo
A very unusual visitor has been spotted in Burgeo, and the Black Vulture is causing a stir among birdwatchers, who believe it may have been blown to Newfoundland by strong winds.
Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

In North Ural, researchers watch snowpack melt, exposing glacier’s boundaries
Snow is melting at a faster pace than ever in the Ural region and revealing the Igan glacier’s true area.
The Independent Barents Observer

Avian influenza case detected in wild goose in Halifax area
The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources says it was a Canada goose. When found in Grand Désert, the wild goose had the H5N1 strain of influenza and was showing symptoms. She died 24 hours later.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Radio-Canada.ca

Storm Malik and Corrie: Thousands of homes without power after weekend storms
Gusts of up to 85mph were recorded in parts of Scotland as Storm Malik swept across the country.
Saint Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom

Local finds giant puffball mushroom
What is 30 lbs, 26 inches around and white all over? Your next meal, or ten meals, or twenty.   Calvatia gigantea, or giant puffballs, typically ranges from the size of a mini marshmallow to a soccer ball. The largest record of a giant puffball had a circumference of eight feet & eight inches and weighed 48 lbs.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Russian Mission airport partly reopens after Yukon River flooding triggers emergency helicopter mission
In the village of about 400, outgoing winter ice dams triggered flooding tha shut down the low-lying runway for 11 days.
Russian Mission, Alaska, United States

Rare Sighting of Wolverine Confirmed in Multiple California Counties
Scientists documented a single wolverine in California from 2008 to 2018. That wolverine was first discovered in February 2008 in the Truckee region of the Tahoe National Forest. The recent detections were likely of a different wolverine given that the species’ lifespan is typically 12 to 13 years.
Inyo National Forest, California, United States
California Department of Fish and Game

Dozens reported dead in Chile as forest fires move into densely populated central areas
Chile’s president says intense forest fires burning around a densely populated area of central Chile have caused at least 46 deaths, and officials say at least 1,100 homes had been destroyed.
Viña del Mar, Valparaíso, Chile

Basking Sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) Return to Monterey Bay
Moss Landing, California, United States

Heavy rain lashes Himachal, 272 roads blocked
Tribune News ServiceShimla, August 27
Heavy rain lashed several parts of the state, triggering landslides that blocked 272 roads and disrupting normal life. The Met office has forecast heavy rain in
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Tribuneindia News Service

Wildlife officials investigate mass die-off of snow geese in western Nunavut
It's not the first time snow geese have died in large numbers in western Nunavut. The cause of this event is under investigation, but overpopulation could have played a role, says the Canadian Wildlife Service.

Scientists are analyzing data from Denali’s Muldrow Glacier surge, which might unravel answers about the world’s glaciers
The glacier advanced just over 3.5 miles and moved about 65 feet per day earlier this year. Studying the surge involved a massive undertaking.
Muldrow Glacier

Reports from the land: N.W.T. hunters and trappers describe unusually warm fall
From the thickness of the ice to moose migration and pelt quality, hunters and trappers say the late arrival of cold weather in the N.W.T. is "going to have effects, down the line."
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada

'Incredibly bright' lunar halo photographed in Inuvik, N.W.T.
An Inuvik woman captured a picture of a lunar halo last week. When a retired professor of physics and astronomy saw the picture, he said what was impressive about it was how bright the halo was.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

This 'incredibly alien' fungus isn't as scary as you might think
CBC reporter Kaitie Fraser spotted this strange jelly-like substance in her aunt's backyard, growing on a cedar tree. In fact, her aunt said, when she first saw it, it looked like orange flowers at a distance. But when she started to approach it, it looked more like clumps of gummy bears.
Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Seeing brown birch leaves? It’s not necessarily a sign of fall. Blame leaf-munching larvae
The birch leafminer ate its way through birches across Southcentral and Interior Alaska this summer. Hot and dry weather earlier in summer may have been optimal for them.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Anchorage sees wettest first half of August ever recorded
Nearly 4 inches of rain has already fallen at Ted Stevens, with more rain on the way.

Dead skunks in Larimer County test positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza
Thirteen of the state's 14 confirmed mammal deaths have occurred in the past month.
Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
Fort Collins Coloradoan

Shellfish growers in Northwest’s oyster capital want ‘blitz’ against invasive green crabs
Shellfish growers in Willapa Bay in southwest Washington, the self-styled "Oyster Capital of the World," are alarmed by an invasion of potentially destructive nonnative European green crabs. Some are asking for an all-out trapping offensive to corral the invasive species.
Ocean Park, Washington, United States
opb

A once-popular Anchorage mall has become an illegal dumping ground
The Northway Mall in northeast Anchorage sits almost totally empty. That’s led to people dumping loads of trash, furniture, appliances and industrial waste all over the property.

Yellowknife begins evacuation as wildfires approach
Yellowknife residents have been ordered to begin evacuating the city immediately as wildfires approach. The evacuation order says residents should leave "according to risk." People living along Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, and the Kam Lake, Grace Lake and the Engle business district in Yellowknife are considered at highest risk and are urged to leave as soon as possible.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Climate change affecting fish production, says Fisheries head
FISH production is being affected by climate change. Acting director of fisheries Nerissa Lucky said this was due to high sea water temperatures. CANARI technical officer Dr Ainka Granderson also said climate change posed a challenge for coastal communities in Trinidad and Tobago.Those communities are affected by the effects of extreme weather, coastal erosion, sea level rise, sargassum and coral bleaching.
Port of Spain, City of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad Express Newspapers

Notes from the Trail: Caribou herds cannot withstand many more acts of senseless violence
Late last month, the carcasses of a dozen or more caribou were found along the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road by someone who said the slaughter and wastage was an act of disrespect and greed.
NNSL Media

Another year of shrinking glaciers predicted in Sweden's far north
But first tests show very little new snow cover on the glacier from this past winter: ”The snow depth was only 1.2 metres — we had at least double that amount in previous years,” says Nina Kirchner, director of the Tarfala research station.
Kebnekaise Mountains

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