LEO Network

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

Bluefin tuna washes up far from home in Salish Sea
Joe Gaydos found a bluefin tuna washed up on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington state. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the fish usually roam the more temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Crescent Beach, Orcas Island, Washington, USA
CBC

Sea Ice Unusually Close to North Iceland Coast
While north of Iceland sea ice is stretching unusually close to the coast, south of the island sea temperatures are reaching record heights.
North Coast Iceland
Iceland Review

Skate caught in subsistence net
While subsistence salmon fishing, community members from Port Heiden found a skate in the net, which is unusual for them.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Jaclyn Christensen, Jayde Ferguson, Shane Hertzog

Unusual bird sighting. Is it an alcid?
This bird was a noticed on the beach landing area of the community but not touched.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Jaclyn Christensen, Gay Sheffield

Elk swims to island in Finnish archipelago, first sighting in 40 years
An elk was spotted swimming to the island of Utö in the Finnish archipelago, marking the first sighting of the animal in 40 years.
Utö, Finland
News

Yellow-headed blackbird has great Northern adventure, winds up in Ulukhaktok
Usually found in marshy areas of Alberta, the bird has occasionally been spotted in more southern N.W.T. communities. Last week, one crossed a stretch of the Arctic ocean and found itself in Ulukhaktok, astonishing birders who say it's never been spotted so far north.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Unusual slime mold
This past winter/spring has been incredibly wet here - I wonder if that has something to do with the emergence of this slime mold.
Truckee, California, United States

Grubby's son captured as Homer faces growing opossum problem
It turns out that Grubby the opossum — who hitched a ride to Alaska in a shipping container in March — had babies.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Beluga whale Hvaldimir visiting Helgeroa
Boaters in Skolebukta outside Larvik opened their eyes when they were visited by the famous beluga whale. The marine biologist fears the whale's journey could soon be over for good.
Larvik, Vestfold, Norway
NRK

Spring melt reveals vole tracks
I have never seen so many little tunnels on my lawn before.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Discovered brand new fish species in Norway: "What the hell have we got here?"
When the fisherman Lars-Ivar Dale pulled up his net, he suddenly saw a species of fish he had never seen before. Fish scientist is now asking for help.
Nautnes, Øygarden, Vestland, Norway
NRK

Rare whooper swan returns with trumpeters to Marsh Lake
The whooper swan, which calls Europe and Asia home, first made headlines last year when it stopped among the flock of local trumpeter and tundra swans that seasonally eat and rest in the Yukon. Avid birders wondered how it managed to fly so far off-course from its usual migration routes. Some birders believe the same swan has made a second visit.
M'Clintock Bay
Yukon News

Rare pearl mussels discovered in Highland and Trossachs lochs
Scientists said the critically-endangered species had previously only been found in rivers and know pearl mussels have been discovered in the Scotland Lochs.
Scotland
BBC News

Invasive goldfish seen swimming under ice at Okanagan pond
Goldfish have a special ability to live under extreme conditions, making them prolific invaders of natural habitats. They are tolerant to low oxygen conditions and can survive water temperatures well below freezing, said the Invasive Species Council of B.C. on their website.
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Swallows sighted in February
"Swallows usually show up in the spring time or when winter months are over in Alaska."
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Polar bear fatally mauls woman and boy in Northwest Alaska village
A Wales resident shot and killed the bear. With the loss of sea ice and the ocean staying open later in the year, polar bears have been spending more time on land, which increases the chance of human encounters.
Wales, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Insects in January
An unseasonable winter insect sighting in Newhalen.
Newhalen, Alaska, United States

Orca stranding on Florida beach is first on record in U.S. Southeast
For the first time ever recorded, orca washes ashore in Florida.
Palm Coast, Florida, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Minke whale pod sighted
A rare sighting is possible indicator of prey abundance.
Kasaan, Alaska, United States

Arctic Fox in Galena?
Cell phone video was taken by one resident, and the fox appears to be an Arctic fox, which is not known in this region.
Galena, Alaska, United States

Huge sunfish makes rare appearance in cold north Vancouver Island waters
The Mola tecta, a semi-tropical sunfish, had been misidentified until seven years ago and is rarely seen in the northern hemisphere.
Cormorant Island, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

New peril for gray whale survival? Predatory orcas spotted in Baja calving lagoon
One pod showed up in January and was videotaped fatally attacking two resident bottle-nosed dolphins. They may have also killed a gray whale calf, although a body was never found. Predatory orcas have breached a gray whale safe space in Baja California. Could this spell disaster for a species already struggling for survival?
Campo Pachico, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Los Angeles Times

False long-horned beetle (Stenotrachelus aeneus)
Black insect never seen by a Yupiit of Andreafski Tribal member at his home in St. Mary's.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States
Bambi Alexie, Derek Sikes, Charles Prince, Elizabeth Graham, Eric Alstrom

Akureyri bottlenose whale found dead
The death of one of the bottlenose whales that have been entertaining residents and visitors in Akureyri was confirmed this weekend.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland
RÚV

Unidentified juvenile crab
Juvenille crab was found at a salmon set-net site. Is this a Puget Sound species that has now been found on the Alaska Peninsula?
Orzinski Bay
Tammy Davis, Karen Pletnikoff, Melissa Good, Asia Beder

Unknown plant or fungus observed in cottonwood log
Nobody I have asked has seen any plant like this. I touched it soon after the picture and it turned into a maroon colored powder.
Lower Yukon

Cormorants establishing new rookery
The cormorants moved in when the peregrins did not return this year. "We believe (they did not return) because of the bird flu."
Golovin, Alaska, United States
Mike Brook, Gay Sheffield, Toby Anungazuk Jr

Visiting cormorant to White Mountain
A cormorant was observed in White Mountain. See also recent report from Golovin.
White Mountain, Alaska, United States

Dolphin Species Never Before Seen in Iceland Beaches in Northwest
Two Risso’s dolphins washed ashore in Hrútafjörður in Northwest Iceland last week. Risso dolphins are a warm-water species found a bit to the east of Ireland and Northwest Scotland. But the largest number is found further south, in warmer seas.
Hrútafjörður, Iceland
Iceland Review

Evidence of invasive crab that could wreak havoc on Alaska fisheries found near Metlakatla
The European Green Crab are a threat to ecosystems and commercial fisheries. They uproot eelgrass beds in search of food, which serve as habitat for herring and salmon.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

What's a shark ordinarily associated with the Arctic doing in Belize?
A half-blind shark that is typically thought to live in freezing Arctic waters, scavenge on polar bear carcasses and survive for hundreds of years, recently turned up in perhaps an unexpected place—a coral reef off Belize. This marks the first time a shark of its kind has been found in western Caribbean waters off the world's second longest barrier reef.
Glovers Reef

Belugas spotted swimming in Lake Aleknagik
Sherol Mershon runs the Silver Fin Bed and Breakfast, on the shore of Lake Aleknagik. She’s hung fishing nets for 45 years and has seen her fair share of wildlife. So when her guests told her they saw whales in the lake, she had her doubts.
Aleknagik, Alaska, United States
KDLG

Visiting walrus causes stir in southern Finland town
Harju said that due to its long tusks, she guessed that it was an older walrus, adding that the animal was calm during the hour that she watched it lay on the beach.
Hamina, Kymenlaakso, Finland
News

Volunteers confront an invasion of black slugs near Whittier
Volunteers at the Whittier Slug-Out learned about Alaska’s invasive species and helped mitigate European black slugs near a popular cove on Prince William Sound.
Whittier, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Rare birds’ arrival an ‘unmissable sign’ climate emergency has reached Britain
Pushed north by global heating, birds like the European bee-eater seen in Norfolk likely to become established visitors
Mundesley, England, United Kingdom
the Guardian

Shorebird from New Zealand spotted in Yukon after overshooting its destination in Alaska
'It flew right over Alaska and it landed just west of Herschel Island, at Qikiqtaruk [Territorial Park], along the coast along the Yukon's North Slope,' Cameron Eckert, a conservation biologist with Yukon Parks and a bird enthusiast, said of the bar-tailed godwit.
Hershel Island
CBC

Beluga whales swam up the Kuskokwim River to Bethel and scientists want samples of them
In an unusual event, a pair of beluga whales swam about 60 miles up the Kuskokwim River to Bethel. After word got out, boaters pursued the belugas and took at least one of them. Now, an official is working to collect samples of the animal to better understand where it came from.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Rare cormorant spotted in Kotzebue
"This is the first time in our lives that we have seen a cormorant in Kotzebue Sound."
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Carmen Daggett, Maija Lukin, Bill Carter, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Hannah Atkinson, Gay Sheffield

Peculiar orange fungus on juniper bushes
"Returning from a walk with the dog I was struck by a mass of bizarre fire orange fungus tentacles covering all the stems of some low lying juniper bushed in our driveway. This is the first time I have seen it in 21 years of living here with the same juniper bushes."
Valemount, British Columbia, Canada
Jessie Moan, Cody Thomas, Shona Thorne, David Oswald

Rarely found snail at Saltstraumen in Bodø, not seen since the 19th century
When he checked closer, he found that the snail he found was an Arctic shrub, or *Dendronotus robustus*. All of the previous sightings have been made on Svalbard, so this may be the first confirmed find in mainland Norway.
Bodø, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Photographer finds massive octopus dead on Vancouver Island shore
A B.C. photographer and her dog found a Giant Pacific octopus washed up on the shore of a Vancouver Island beach.
Cherry Point, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria Times Colonist

Whooper swan far from home spotted in the Yukon
The lone adult bird was spotted among the migrating trumpeter swans at Marsh Lake.
Marsh Lake, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Small owl sighting
This small owl was sighted perching under a building. LEO Network looking for some help on an identification.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States
Krissy Dunker, Paul Paul, Edward Weiss, Lem Butler, Marian Snively

Japanese skeleton shrimp found in Nateekin Bay
Historically cold temperatures made it difficult for invasive species survive in Alaska. The Japanese skeleton shrimp *Caprella mutica* is now established in Unalaska area and in this observation observed on a buoy line in Nateekin Bay.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Tammy Davis, Elizabeth E Mears

Coyote Sightings in Ottawa South
One morning in February, 2022 when I went for a walk, I noticed footprints of a four legged animal going in the direction of my path. The footprints looked different from those of dogs and given that I recently read about coyote sightings in the area, I quickly headed home.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Residents of East Texas town report fish falling from sky
A rare phenomenon that occurred in Texarkana, a city on the northeast border of Texas and Arkansas, has its residents asking, “What the — fish?” Multiple...
Texarkana, Arkansas, United States
Dallas News

A lost eagle from Asia has been traveling around North America for more than a year
The Steller's sea eagle — native to China, Japan, the Koreas and eastern Russia — was spotted along the Taunton River in Massachusetts on Monday. It was first seen in Alaska in the summer of 2020.
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
NPR.org

Invasive European green crab found in Nuu-chah-nulth territories
The Lummi Nation has declared a disaster after removing 70,000 invasive European green crabs from their sea pond in November.
According to Seattle-based King News, the Lummi Nation cultivates shellfish and juvenile salmon in their 750-acre sea pond. The European green crab preys on young oysters, clams, and are known to dig down into the sand, uprooting eel grass, which is habitat for juvenile salmon.
Marietta-Alderwood, Washington, United States
Ha-Shilth-Sa

This eagle is very, very lost
The native range of the Steller’s sea eagle is typically China, Japan and Korea and the east coast of Russia. While some have flown as far east as western Alaska, none have ever been known to appear near the Atlantic Ocean.
Falmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Seattle Times

The hunting tick has been discovered in Norway
The tick can carry hemorrhagic diphtheria. The disease is widespread in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In addition, some cases have been seen in southern Europe. The fever can cause serious illness in humans.
Vestby, Akershus, Norway

Mysterious fish ended up in Vetle's boat - expert says it's extremely rare
Vetle Berntsen and the others on the trawler understood little when the black fish ended up on board. No wonder – the fish actually live in deep water around the equator. It turned out to be *Diretmichthys parini*, also known as ducat fish, one of three documented in Norway.
Barents Sea, norway

Discovery of fly larvae positive sign for salmon
Volunteers from the Friends of Bowker Creek Society say uncovering caddisfly larvae in the gravel beds of the stream show the water quality has improved to a level sufficient to sustain salmon and cutthroat trout.
Bowker Creek, Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News, Vancouver Island

Alaskans have been spotting turkey vultures all over the state this year
An unusual bird was sighted in the Yukon Flats village of Chalkyitsik recently. The raptor, uncommon to the state, has also been spotted in a few other Alaska locations. Bird biologist Jim Johnson says there’s broader evidence that the nomadic turkey vulture is expanding north.
Chalkyitsik, Alaska, United States
KUAC

Rare clash between two distinct kinds of orcas in the Salish Sea — and the endangered fish-eaters won
Two distinct species of orcas feed and socialize in the waters of Puget Sound: fish-eating endangered southern resident killer whales and transient, or Bigg’s, killer whales, which feed on marine mammals and are more common. They seldom mix.
Point Roberts, Washington, United States
KNKX Public Radio

Wild pigs invade national park
One of the most destructive and rapidly spreading invasive species on the continent has been found for the first time in a Canadian national park.
Elk Island National Park
CTV News, Edmonton

Rare beluga whale sighting in Puget Sound stirs excitement — and concern
It would be an obscure sighting of the species. The closest beluga population, which lives at least 1,400 miles away in Alaska’s Cook Inlet, is endangered and covered under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Seattle, Washington, United States
Cross Cut

Animal tragedy in the Oslo fjord
Hundreds of guillemots go astray in the Oslo fjord every autumn. Many are now starving in the food-poor fjord.
Oslofjorden, Oslo, Norway

Rare pink salmon spotted southeast of Iqaluit
Karen Dunmall, a biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said pink salmon normally prefer warmer waters than the Arctic has been able to provide. But with the Arctic warming at up to three times the rate of the rest of the world, its waters are becoming more approachable for newcomers like this species.
Nunatsiaq News

Only two flamingos sighted on Sidi Boughaba Lake
On a hiking trip, observer sees a lone pair of Flamingos at Sidi Boughaba Lake National Park. This was not expected from a sociable bird species that travel in large flocks.
Kenitra, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Morocco
David Oswald, Chyna Williams, Salma Sayeh

The wall lizard invasion of Vancouver Island
Decades ago, wall lizards from the Mediterranean got a toehold near Victoria. Now they’re island-hopping.
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
Macleans.ca

Where's Wally? The wandering celebrity walrus is spotted in Iceland
Wally, the walrus who has found fame during his travels round Europe, has been spotted in Iceland more than 900 kilometers from his last known location, He was previously seen 22 days ago in West Cork, Ireland, sparking concerns for his safety.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
ArcticToday

Urban deer distribution pattern changes in Southwest Calgary
The development of the Southwest Calgary Ring Road has resulted in alterations into the use of the area by deer. The combination of construction disturbances, removal of habitat, and presence of a linear barrier has seemingly resulted in fewer deer being observed in the neighborhood of Woodbine.
Woodbine, Calgary

Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) in Nome
"I've seen photos documenting one squirrel in Nome from 2007 and a Nome Nugget article in 2019, but we've had 3-4 reports of red squirrels this summer."
Nome, Alaska, United States

Moose spotted off Lena Point, delighting residents
Wild moose chase. Moose are rarely seen close to town.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Was stung by giant wasps – ended up in the emergency room
Nina was going for a walk with the dog when she felt a sting on her toe. On the floor lay a European hornet, the largest wasp in Northern Europe. She is allergic to wasps and immediately realized that this could be dangerous. After a few minutes, her foot swelled up. She became dizzy and her pulse raced.
Øvre Vang, Hamar, Innlandet, Norway

In August, scientists saw rare right whales twice in Alaska waters
Biologist Jessica Crance witnessed both sightings personally, and is among a handful of living people who have seen one of this population of right whales up close since the species was devastated by commercial whaling.
Barnabas Trough

An invasive parasite is taking over Alaska blue mud shrimp. Researchers want to kill it.
Orthione griffenis, or O. griffenis, eventually kills its host shrimp, and soon the remaining shrimp can’t find each other to reproduce, rendering a blue mud shrimp population extinct.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Large jellyfish threaten fisheries in the Sea of Japan
Swarms of giant jellyfish are floating along the coastline of the Sea of Japan, and the damage they may cause to fisheries is feared to be the worst in more than a decade.
Wakasa Bay, Japan
The Japan News

Marine vomit spread along the western coast of Norway
A self-cloning and invincible enemy invades coastal areas. The carpet sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum) or “marine vomit” have been observed nearby Stavanger and Bergen. Large yellow flakes has spread on the seabed and kills everything beneath. It may grow on boats and can spread along the coast.
Engøysundet, Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway
Josef Benoni Ness Tveit, Håkon Mannsåker

Suddenly Njord (13) got a tuna on the hook – I was surprised!
The fishing trip to Gaiakulpen in Vesterelva offered a real surprise to friends Njord Lindgård and Tobias Holm (13).
Vesterelv, Nesseby, Troms og Finnmark Fylke, Norway
iFinnmark

Rare polar bear sighting causes a stir in Kotzebue
Locals in Kotzebue showed a mix of excitement and concern over the weekend in response to reports that a rare polar bear was spotted in the area.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

1st live Asian giant 'murder hornet' of 2021 spotted in Washington state
Entomologists confirm the report of the world's largest hornet — a worrisome invasive species that originates from East Asia and Japan — by a person in a rural area near the Canadian border.
Blaine, Washington, United States

Second year in row, big numbers of wild reindeer calves are found dead along banks of great river Khatanga
Poaching and climate change might be the reasons why more than 1,200 migrating animals did not make it across the wide Arctic waterway.
Khatanga river, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Phytoplankton blooms hint at changing Arctic waters
Recent research has found that coccolithophore blooms are occupying increasingly more space in the Barents Sea. Between 1998 and 2016, coccolithophore summer blooms have expanded poleward and their surface area in the Barents Sea has doubled.
Nunatsiaq News

30 percent have been bitten
The notorious lúsmý (Culicoides reconditus), a species of biting midge that has colonised Iceland for the first time in the past few years. The tiny flies can cause severe reactions, with large, sore, itchy spots that can remain angry for a week or more, and sometimes spread into a sort of rash.
Húnaþing vestra, Northwestern, Iceland
RÚV

'Unprecedented' absence of southern resident killer whales from Salish Sea
The most common pod of southern resident killer whales who migrate to the Salish Sea during the summer have not been seen for than 100 days, marking a highly unusual absence from their historic summer hunting ground, according to researchers.
Salish Sea
Vancouver Island

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Extended Range into the St. Lawrence Region
Double-crested cormorants have been observed in the St Lawrence River region, with record-breaking numbers, in recent years.
Gananoque, Ontario, Canada

Opah on the Oregon Coast
On July 14, a rare 100-pound opah fish was found on the Oregon coast. The 3.5 foot 100 pound fish washed up at Sunset Beach, and was reported to the Seaside Aquarium.
Sunset Beach, Oregon, United States
WRAL.com

Invasive seaweed detected on Aotea/Great Barrier Island
Caulerpa brachypus, which can spread rapidly and create dense mats, was found in July in Blind Bay and Tryphena Harbour. This was the first time the pest species had been detected in New Zealand.
Great Barrier Island
NZ Herald

'Unprecedented:' Rare sei whales spotted off Vancouver Island
Researchers on an expedition 300 kilometers west of Vancouver Island stumbled upon a group of 25-30 endangered sei whales.
300 kms West of Vancouver Island, Canada
CHEK

Whitehorse residents warned not to feed wildlife after black bear killed in Riverdale
After a black bear was shot dead in her front yard, a Whitehorse resident is concerned that people are inadvertently luring bears into the neighbourhood by feeding wildlife.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Strange Plant found below Oskawalik on the Kuskokwim River
An Aniak resident found these plants below Oskawalik and never have seen them before. Identification is still in progress.
Below Oskawalik, Alaska, United States

European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) in Northwest, BC
A European Skipper butterfly is observed in Northwest BC, an introduced species and one of several stressors underlying insect declines.
Smithers, British Columbia, Canada

Abnormal abundance of ticks
My colleague who has been doing this work for over 35 years indicated that he has never experienced that many ticks.
Scott Road Landfill (near Cardinal)
Chyna Williams, Andrea Sare, David Oswald

Elephant herd now close to Kunming
A herd of wild Asian elephants that left Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in the south of Yunnan province last year is still moving northward, local media reported on Wednesday. The 15-member herd has traveled nearly 500 kilometers from its original habitat. Experts said the move northward is unusual and they do not know the reason for it.
Kunming, Yunnan, China

Probably the world's northernmost observed narrow-bordered bee hawk-moth
Tine Aastrøm Lorentzen was on a trip in Rana and noticed what she thought was a bumblebee, but it was suspiciously silent. "It looked like a crossover of a bumblebee and a butterfly. I studied it more closely and found that I had to film this, because I had never seen anything like this before," she tells NRK. The latin name of that insect is *Hemaris tityus.*
Sjona, Rana, Nordland, Norway

This giant mosquito attracts attention – Never seen such a mosquito
As the weather gets warmer, the mosquito comes to life. Also in North Norway. But when Frank Pedersen enjoyed himself in the sun on 17 May, he was "attacked" by a mosquito he has never seen in Nordland before. It was Great house mosquito, Culiseta annulata.
Skarberget, Narvik, Nordland, Norway

Hunt opens for musk ox stranded on ice floes
The musk ox were stranded on the ice floes after wandering onto the sea ice during breakup.
Mekoryuk, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Coyote (Canis latrans) at Rabbit Creek
Coyotes, first documented in Anchorage around 1900, are not often seen in Anchorage. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimates coyote population abundance using the Trapper Questionnaire reports, and consider the Kenai Peninsula, Copper River Valley and Mat-Su Valley to have the highest coyote population densities.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Sleeper Shark (Somniosus pacificus) in Kasitsna Bay
A decomposing sleeper shark was found on the beach in Kasitsna Bay.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States
Michael Opheim , Chyna Williams, Gay Sheffield

New Arrival - Speckle Belly Geese (Anser albifrons)
A flock of Speckle Belly geese re-visit Seldovia.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Washed up - euphausiid shrimp on area beach
Thousands of euphausiid shrimp, the species identified here in Resurrection Bay as Thysanoessa spinifera. were washed into the intertidal zone and on the beach near Whittier
Whittier, Alaska, United States
Gary Freitag, Melissa Good, Amy Holman, Sunny Rice, Tuula Hollmen, Julie Matweyou, Kris Holderied, Richard Hocking

Melting Arctic ice reduces bowhead whale migration
Researchers in Canada find that population did not bother making the 6,000km roundtrip in 2018-2019
Bearing, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas
the Guardian

Unidentified Waxy Substance
Unusual waxy, white substance washed up on beach.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Chyna Williams, Johanna Tellman, Tom Okey

Fearless Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Spotted in Far North Bicentennial Park in Anchorage
A red fox roams a popular recreation outlet in Anchorage, and gets quite close to people. Treat encounters with caution, as foxes can carry rabies and other diseases.
Far North Bicentennial Park, Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Arctic walrus spotted in Kerry reappears in Wales
Marine biologist and director of Dingle’s OceanWorld Aquarium, Kevin Flannery, told the Irish Times it is “very unusual” for a walrus to be spotted in this part of the world, although there have been potential sightings from surfers and fishermen in Ireland in the past.
Wales, England, United Kingdom
The Irish Times

Polar bear filmed running along road in Yakutia 460km south of its natural Arctic habitat
The racing predator was seen 60km south of Batagai, north-east from republic’s capital Yakutsk.
Батагай, Верхоянский район, Sakha, Russia
Siberian Times

Rare salmon shark spotted near Catalina Island
Salmon sharks are rarely seen this far south; typically they swim off Alaska and in the northern Pacific Ocean where they have access to their favorite food.
San Pedro, California, United States
Orange County Register

Coyotes sightings in St. John's and Mount Pearl Sunday morning
Wild animals spotted near on Topsail Road near Brookfield Fire Station and Park Avenue. Wildlife officials with the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture are advising the public to be vigilant regarding the presence of coyotes in residential areas
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Wolves finding new homes in southern Sweden
In recent months, there have been a number of reported wolf sightings in Southern Sweden, an unusual occurrence in this part of the country.
Malmö, Skåne, Sweden
Radio Sweden

From Greenland to Valentia: face to face with a king of the Arctic
A walk in the woods behind Glanleam beach on Valentia Island for local man Alan Houlihan and his daughther, Muireann (Mimi) (5) on Sunday morning took a rather unusual twist when the pair spotted a walrus out on the rocks, just off the beach.
Knightstown, Ireland
independent

Alaskans urged to destroy moss balls that could contain invasive mussels
Last week, Alaska became one of at least 32 states to report finding zebra mussels in a product called moss balls which were sold at local pet stores.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Magne Vorland got grey shark – shattered 43 year old Norwegian record
Magne Vorland (27) was surprised when he saw what was coming to the surface. "Unusual," says the expert.
Ålfjorden, Rogaland, Norway

Gold Jackal seen for the first time in Norway
It is common to be found in Myanmar and in Southeastern Europe. Now the gold jackal is captured on film in Finnmark.
Ildskog, Porsanger, Finnmark Fylke, Norway

Early humpback sighting
A humpback whale spotted off Bremer Bay late last week is believed to be the earliest sighting ever of the species on WA’s south coast. Humpback whales are usually spotted of WA's south coast in late March or early April. The whale's early appearance has prompted concerns from scientists about the lack of food stocks in Antarctica.
Bremer Submarine Canyon
ABC News

Lack of sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence means more seals on shore
Record-low levels of sea ice cover in the Gulf of St. Lawrence means a greater number of seals are coming on shore and are more likely to interact with humans.
Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick, Canada

Lynx spotted in downtown Yellowknife
A “not very shy” lynx attracted some attention in Yellowknife Monday. Daniel Bourke saw it near Avens seniors complex where staff called ENR.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
NNSL MEDIA

Possible Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Sighting
This bird is a juvenile Great Blue Heron. It is rare sighting of heron outside of its normal range which extends into Southeast but not Southwest Alaska.
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Goldfish invasion of Hamilton Harbour
Pet fish dumped in local waterways have become the scourge of Hamilton’s marshes and harbour
Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada
Macleans.ca

Snowy Owl Is Spotted in Central Park, for First Time in 130 Years
The hordes came running and the snow-white raptor became the latest celebrity bird of Manhattan. Some enthusiasts took Manhattan Bird Alert to task for revealing the bird’s exact whereabouts to 38,000 followers. By Thursday morning, the Central Park snowy was nowhere to be found.
Manhattan, New York, United States
New York Times

Ice pancakes float along a river in the Highlands
The pancakes form when foam floating on a river or the sea freeze. These frozen chunks are then shaped by being rubbed against one another in eddies of water.
Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) in January
"While teleworking, I looked out the window to see a red breast light in a tree in the front yard in Anchorage, Alaska in January. It was an American robin."

Russian tanker passes through Bering Strait in the midst of winter
Last week, a 908-foot Russian tanker carrying liquified natural gas passed south through the Russian side of the Bering Strait, with two more to follow. The ships are traversing the northern coast of Siberia, called the North Sea Route, in the middle of January with no icebreaker escort, an unprecedented event that may hint at the future of the region as climate change alters global commerce.
Uelen, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
The Nome Nugget

Orca pod returns to the Broughton Archipelago after more than 20 years
The A5 pod has returned to the Broughton Archipelago, their traditional winter hunting ground, with a brand new baby in tow.
Fife Sound, Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News
Zoe Ducklow, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

First record in Canada: Rare bird common in Japan seen in Yukon
A rare bird was spotted last week in Yukon. Birders flocked to Haines Junction last week to spot a hawfinch, which was thousands of kilometers out of its usual range.
Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada

A New Clam in Town
Razor clams are the newest addition to Iceland’s resident fauna, RÚV reports. Researchers believe that the bivalves, which got their name in English from their long skinny shape, sharp edges, and resemblance to old fashioned straight razors, were brought to Iceland in the bilge water of cargo ships.
Hafnarfjörður, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Polar bears leave the Chukchi village of Rrykaipi
As of December 18, only 3 polar bears remained. The polar bears had gathered near the village when a strong southern wind moved ice away from the shore, leaving the animals to move by shore to Kozhevnkov Cape, where the predators eat walrus remains.

Young whale with broken jaw washed up on Belgian beach
A dead minke whale with a broken jaw washed up on a Belgian beach on Friday.
Bredene, Flanders, Belgium
The Brussels Times

Researchers think they spotted new whale species off Mexico
Scientists are waiting for water samples analysis that could hold skin cells for possible DNA testing. . Read more at straitstimes.com.
San Benito Islands
The Straits Times

Vermilion flycatcher - A big red surprise
Late on the afternoon of Nov. 18, Kathy Marche, birding in Stephenville, came across a very colorful bird unfamiliar to her. She took photos but had to wait until she got home to look up the identification.
Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Seal hunters come across frozen beached bowhead whale
A family out seal hunting in Nunavut came across a very rare sight when they happened upon a full-size, beached, frozen bowhead whale, along with plenty of polar bear tracks nearby. "That was a very, very amazing sight. Its my first time to see a bowhead," said Panigayak.
Taloyoak, Nunavut, Canada

Coyotes are being spotted in Yellowknife
The N.W.T.'s environment department is warning Yellowknifers to be careful while out for walks after a number of coyote sightings were reported over the weekend.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

'Once in a millennium': Record-breaking rogue wave measured off Vancouver Island
A massive ocean wave that was tracked off the west coast of Vancouver Island in 2020 is now considered the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded, according to scientists at the University of Victoria.
Ucluelet, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News-Vancouver Island

Humpback whales have been spotted in an Australian river
East Alligator River is full of crocodiles, not alligators, and now humpback whales. If it came to a fight, who would win?
Kakadu National Park.
Stuff

Pacific Sand Lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) Make First Appearance
Pacific sand lance can be found along the Western and Southern coasts of Alaska, although their distribution is based on habitat availability. Computer models suggest that there is a low probability this habitat exists near Kivalina.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Coonstripe Shrimp (Pandalus hypsinotis) Found on Beach After Storm
Coonstripe shrimp (*Pandalus hypsinotis*) can be found at a depth of 30-300 feet in Norton Sound. During a strong storm, some washed up on a beach north of their known range.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Russian scientists discover huge walrus haulout in Arctic circle
Scientists in northern Russia have discovered a huge walrus haulout on the shores of the Kara Sea where their habitat is under threat from shrinking ice and human activity. The haulout, a place of refuge where walruses congregate, reproduce, and socialise, is located in a remote corner of Russia's Yamal peninsula, and scientists say they counted over 3,000 animals there last month.
Kara Sea
Reuters

Monitoring program tracks invasive (Didemnum vexillum) or “marine vomit”
On 2 November 2020, the Japanese invertebarate *Didemnum vexillum* was detected by diver and underwater photographer Erling Svensen at Engøyholmen in Stavanger harbor. The aim of a new monitoring project is to register occurrences of the presumed recently arrived D. vexillum in the delimited areas, and then to map how it spreads locally, and also what impact it has on the local fauna.
Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway
havnespy.stavangerdykk.no

Deep-diving whale dies after swimming up river
Finding the deep-diving species so far inland was incredible. Rescuers made a sterling effort to save the 21ft-long animal found in a tributary of the River Clyde near Glasgow Airport. Two died after stranding on shores of the Firth of Clyde and another in the Western Isles.
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Entomologists vacuum Asian giant hornets out of first nest found in Whatcom County
Washington State entomologists have spent weeks searching, trapping and using dental floss to tie tracking devices to Asian giant hornets in an effort to find the nest and destroy it. The nest was first discovered Thursday in a tree cavity, about eight feet up, on private property in Blaine. Heavily protected crews with WSDA worked to eradicate the nest early Saturday morning.
Blaine, Washington, United States

Lone Scottish dolphin spotted off Denmark
The Moray Firth dolphins have been moving out of their normal range in Scotland waters. A dolphin known as Yoda is the latest member to be spotted far from home. Another Moray Firth dolphin has been seen in the Irish Sea.
Svendborg, South Denmark, Denmark

Alaska Grown Black Walnuts
The unthinkable (ripe Alaska walnuts) a few decades ago is potentially our new reality as our climate continues to shift (warmer summers and longer falls). As our climatic parameters shift, so does our opportunity to diversify our edible plantings!
Peter's Creek
Facebook - Alaska Home Gardeners Group

A rare Jay spotted in Whitehorse. But was it a Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) or Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)?
An unusual blue bird was sighted in Whitehorse this month. It was not captured on film but the observer thinks it was a Blue Jay or a Steller's Jay. A Steller's Jay was reported to eBird in Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, just two days later.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Rare King-of-the-salmon fish found on Vancouver Island
A rare deep-sea fish was discovered on Vancouver Island this month. A pair of friends, Natalie Mueller and Andie Lafrentz, were walking along Whiffin Spit in Sooke on Sept. 19 when they spotted what they first thought was a “large piece of scrap metal.”
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News - Vancouver Island

Badger on the Finnmark plateau: – very strange, but also very fun
Odd Arne Hætta thought his dog Leo had found an elk, but it turned out to be something else entirely. Badgers are not common so far north but, sporadic cases have been observed in the past, including in Skibotn in Troms.
Čuonjájávri, Kautokeino, Norway
Marie Elise Nystad, Tom Stian Tretnes Hansen

Rare fish washes ashore at Whiffen Spit
It was a king-of-the-salmon (Trachipterus altivelis), a deep-sea-dwelling species of ribbonfish. Its common name comes from the legends of the Makah people west of Strait of Juan de Fuca, which believe this “king” leads the salmon to their spawning grounds each year.
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Rare muskox sighting in Manokotak raises questions
The Bristol Bay Times - Serving Dillingham, Naknek, King Salmon and Southwest villages
Manokotak, Alaska, United States
Bristol Bay Times
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Meet Nunavut's newest arrival: the beaver
A recent beaver catch in Baker Lake, along with this summer’s earlier beaver sighting near Kugluktuk, more than 1,000 kilometres northwest of Baker Lake, have some wondering whether beavers are expanding their range into Nunavut.
Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Cougar spotted on Ingraham Trail on Sunday: GNWT
Cougar sightings are rare in the North Slave region, but not unheard of. The big cat was seen at 1 p.m. crossing the highway at kilometre 49, between the Cameron Falls trailhead and Reid Lake campground.
NNSL Media

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

These are among the rarest birds you can see in Norway
This week, bird enthusiast Nils Harry Lillejord experienced a kind of "holy grail" for those who watch birds. When he was on his way to work, he saw a Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus). The bird has only been seen twenty times since 1835.
Stormyrjordene, Bodø, Nordland, Norway

Rare ‘Ugly Duckling’ Albino Seal Pup in Far East Russia Wins Hearts
Scientists worry for the pup's survival. Due to the pup’s albinism, it not only has bad eyesight, but could also be ostracized by the colony due to its unique characteristics.
Tyuleny Island
The Moscow Times

Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) in Manokotak
A muskox (*Ovibos moschatus*) seen farther inland than usual during mating season.
Manokotak, Alaska, United States

Growth on Window After Storm
Tatitlek, Alaska, United States

Uncommon Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus) Catch
Slimy sculpins (*Cottus cognatus*) are small, nocturnal, bottom-dwelling fish that lack a swim bladder to help them stay bouyant in the water. Their size and habitat allow them to easily avoid fishing gear designed for salmon.
North Fork Andreafski River

Grasshoppers are Becoming More Common
Warming temperatures may support growing grasshopper populations along the southern Seward Peninsula.
Koyuk, Alaska, United States

Polar bear mother brings her cubs into the Arctic town of Pevek in Chukotka
It is still not clear if the family was brought so close to people by hunger as most locals believe or, as one account suggests, out of fear of being followed by an aggressive large male.
Pevek, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Siberia Times

Caterpillar Causing Itchy Skin Likely a Rusty Tussock Caterpillar (Orgyia antiqua)
Rusty tussock caterpillars can cause skin irritation for people when handled individually, and are responsible to large defoliation events when populations are high.
Alakanuk, Alaska, United States

Three great white sharks venture 'very tight' to Nova Scotia shores
Three great white sharks broke the border rules big-time on Friday. The sharks were tracking very tight to shore near South Shore communities.
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Telegram

Rare white orca spotted off Kupreanof Island
This orca born in 2018 is called Tl’uk, a Coast Salish word for “moon.” Tl’uk is a greyish moon color, without the typical black and white pattern.
Petersburg, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Seiners in Southeast Alaska rescue an unlikely hard-shelled visitor
A fishing crew near Prince of Wales Island recently made an unusual catch: a Pacific green sea turtle. This not only excited the crew, but has also caught the attention of marine biologists.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

Resident harvests wayward moose wandering near Utqiagvik
Alaska Department of Fish and Game records show two other unusually wayward moose hunts: One in 2016 taken north of Teshekpuk Lake along the Arctic coast, and another in 2014 on the Kokolik River near Point Lay.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) in Napaimute
This is the second sighting of muskox in the Middle Kuskokwim, which is outside their known range.
Napaimute, Alaska, United States

Watson Lake resident captures 'first record' of ghost moth in Yukon
A longtime resident of Watson Lake, Yukon, has contributed to the world of science — simply by taking a picture.
Watson Lake, Yukon, Canada

White bear on the Junjik River
Unusual coloration in bears is often the result of a recessive gene combination. According to researchers at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, light colored bears have been found in Interior Alaska, although this is the first observation of one submitted to LEO.
Allakaket, Alaska, United States

Summer resident killed by great white in Maine’s first fatal shark attack
Julie Dimperio Holowach, a recently retired fashion executive from New York City, was swimming near Bailey Island on Monday afternoon when she was attacked.
Portland, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Invasive grass carp caught in Chambly Basin
Scientists say the grass carp population in the Chambly Basin is probably small, but the presence of this species in any number is bad news.
Chambly, Quebec, Canada
Montreal Gazette

Puffin saved by lucky chance
A group on a glacier expedition on Langjökull yesterday stumbled across a puffin lying in the snow. According to group leader Martha Jónasdóttir, the bird was found right at the centre of the glacier—Iceland's second-largest.
Borgarnes, West, Iceland
RÚV

Unusual Pink Caterpillar is a Sawfly Larvae
This pink larvae will grow into a sawfly, which are common across Alaska although not often noticed.
Grayling, Alaska, United States

Brown booby makes rare visit to Ireland
Birders are continuing to flock to Greystones in Co Wicklow after what is believed to be the first ever sighting of a brown booby in Ireland.
Greystones, Leinster, Ireland
RTE.ie

Fisherman snags barracuda off Vancouver Island in rare encounter
Ferocious fish, not native to Canada, was netted and released in Alberni Inlet
Alberni Inlet, Vancouver Island, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Thousands of blue jellyfish clog cooling system in Israeli power plant
Thousands of jellyfish clogged up a cooling system and threatened to suspend production at a power plant in Israel. Video filmed at the Electric Company power plant on Thursday shows the light blue sea creatures being swept down a chute and into a bin. The power plant, based in the coastal city of Ashkelon, about 15 miles north of the Gaza strip, uses seawater to cool its
Ashqelon, Southern District, Israel
The Independent

California condors return to Sequoia National Park for the 1st time in decades
They were sighted in an area that was historically part of the endangered bird’s range. At least six visited the park in late May.
KTLA

Wild Boars Appear in Moscow Parks, Officials Warn
If you meet one don't look it in the eye.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia
The Moscow Times

Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) in Kachemak Bay
Until 2007, there have been only three verified reports of green sturgeon in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea, and two anecdotal reports from the Copper River and Unalaska areas.
Halibut Cove, Alaska, United States

Pelicans spotted as far north as Kugluktuk, Nunavut
The arrival of pelicans in Kugluktuk, Nunavut was a surprise, but it's a sign of healthy pelican colonies in general, and in particular of the colony near Fort Smith, N.W.T.
Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada

‘A grave concern’: European green crabs discovered on Haida Gwaii
There are many types of crabs that are green in colour, but only the European green crab has five spines on the outside of each eye. The aggressive invasive species was discovered in Skidegate Inlet; and now working group formed to decide next steps.
Skidegate 1, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Jellyfish the size of dinner plates on Northeast beaches
Some beaches in the northeastern United States are dealing with more than the threat of COVID-19 this holiday weekend. They have to contend with an unwelcome visitor: the Lion's Mane jellyfish.
Scituate, Massachusetts, United States
CNN

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

Beluga off San Diego is farthest south the species has been documented on West Coast
A beluga whale was spotted Friday off San Diego -- the farthest south the species has been documented on the West Coast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed.
Point Loma, Coronado, California, United States
FOX 5 San Diego

First a whale, now a bearded seal spotted in Laval
A video posted to social media shows the seal sunbathing on a floating dock in Laval, close to where the Mille Îles River joins the St. Lawrence River.
Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada
Global News

Seaweed invasion hurting fishermen's livelihoods
Seaweed native to the northwest Pacific is invading the rich marine waters of the Strait of Gibraltar and the brown algae is clogging up fishermen's nets and endangering their way of life.
Strait of Gibraltar
Al Jazeera

Trumpeter swans are newcomers to the nesting scene in Potter Marsh
Between the Seward Highway and Hillside neighborhoods, a pair of swans are raising five just-hatched cygnets. This is the first pair of swans to nest at Potter Marsh in the memory of Anchorage Coastal Refuge managers and local birders.

Unusual Spider is Actually a Mite
Closely resembling a spider, this long legged mite belongs to the family Erythraeoidae and can be found in many different environments across Alaska.
Newhalen, Alaska, United States

Northern anchovy blooms bring more sea life to Burrard Inlet
Northern anchovy are becoming more comment perhaps due to warmer temperatures. A 10-centimetre-long fish represents an anchovy that's about a year old suggesting that the fish are spawned locally in the pelagic zone, or upper, warmer zone of the seawater.
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada

Orca pod makes rare appearance in Vancouver’s False Creek
It's a rare sight in Vancouver's False Creek, but a pod of orcas was spotted swimming the city's most inner waterway on Wednesday.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Global News

New possible bottlenose dolphin sighting turns heads in Finland
The eyewitness, who first heard the animal splashing by the southeastern coast, said she couldn't believe her eyes.
Lovisa, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Multiple bear sightings in Saanich, near UVic
Residents near the University of Victoria are cautioned to be vigilant as authorities are responding to sightings of a bear in the area.
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria Buzz

Black bears on the move: more heading south
“In the last 36 hours, we’ve received four bear sightings in Saanich,” said Sgt. Damian Kowalewich with Saanich Police. "A lot of our residents are obviously alarmed by this and it’s a higher number of sightings than usual.”
Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Uncommon Ruby Tiger Moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) Sighting
The Seward Peninsula is within the ruby tiger moth range, but sightings are rare.
Teller, Alaska, United States

Yellow Jacket Wasp Nesting on the Beaches in Nome
"We have not seen this on a wide-spread occasion in a number of years. They are nesting in sea weed, and making it troublesome to go to the beach." Jacob Martin
Nome, Alaska, United States

Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) in Anchorage

Ticks moving into Northern Saskatchewan
Ticks used to be uncommon in Northern Saskatchewan, but are becoming more abundant as the climate warms.
Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada

Fine Yellow Dust is Likely Pollen
Seeing pollen in rainwater is unusual.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Dolphins sighted in Kopli Bay in Estonia
Estonian ship pilot Indrek Sulla on Tuesday morning sighted two dolphins who had likely wandered into Kopli Bay from the Atlantic.
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
The Baltic Course

Rare bird in historic visit to Sweden
A rare bird that has only been sighted twice before in Europe turned up in western Sweden on Sunday, causing great excitement among ornithologists.
Göteborg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Humpback whale up Saint Lawrence River
“It’s extremely rare. For the Quebec Mammal Emergency Network it’s a first,” said Marie-Ève Muller, a spokesperson for GREMM. “We’ve had minke whales before, belugas but for such large whale like a humpback whale, it’s a first​.”
St. Lawrence River, Sorel, Quebec, Canada
Global News

Young gray whale appears to be stuck in Twentymile River near Portage
Biologists believe the 18- to 20-foot whale may be sick or injured. It’s unclear if it will be able to swim out during high tide.
Portage Creek, 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

Bottlenose dolphins sighted off Finnish coast for first time in nearly 70 years
Ascension Thursday, a Finnish holiday, was unforgettable for Keeri Sjöblom, 13, who lives in Kimitoön, a maritime municipality in southwest Finland.
Southwest Finland
Yle Uutiset

Possible Pacific White-sided Dolphin Sighting (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens)
Unusually active marine mammals seen near Unalaska may actually be Pacific white-sided dolphins.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Julieanne Renee Berikoff, Asia Beder

Chukar (Alectoris chukar) in my backyard in Anchorage
Non-native chukar, used to train bird hunting dogs, spotted in Anchorage.

Wild Animals Roam Russian Cities During Quarantine
With the coronavirus pandemic leaving Russia's cities quiet and deserted, its wild animals have decided to check things out.
Russia
The Moscow Times

More wolves in Gävleborg - pressure increases to allow licensed hunt
The number of wolves in Gävleborg county has gone up and the pressure to introduce licensed hunting is increasing in the region.
Gävle, Gävleborg, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Humpback whale breaching east of Vancouver spotted by Burnaby seniors
Some residents of a Burnaby retirement home were about to start a meditation class on Wednesday when a humpback whale sighting stole their focus.
Burrard Inlet, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

Invasive lizard species spotted in Georgia
The South American lizard, which can grow up to 4 feet long, poses a threat to protected native wildlife, including American alligators and gopher tortoises.
Reidsville, Georgia, United States
KMBC

Beaver numbers have exploded in Northwest Alaska with some striking effects on the environment
The Baldwin Peninsula near Kotzebue has seen a massive increase in beavers over the last two decades, according to new research from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Kobuk, Alaska, United States
KTOO
Wesley Early, Alaska's Energy Desk - Kotzebue

Rare blue dragons are washing up on a Texas seashore
Visitors to the Padre Island National Seashore in Texas are discovering blue dragons during their trips, and though it may not be the flying, fire-breathing creatures their name may suggest, it's still 'a rare find,' the park says.
Padre Island National Seashore, Texas, USA
CTVNews

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

Invasive Common Wall Lizard Continues to Spread, Saanich
I have lived along Epsom Drive, between Cedar Hill Golf course and Cedar Hill Road for 22 years. I have seen a common wall lizard once, in late spring of 2020 at our address.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Cody Thomas, Dionne Sanderson, Eva Gribbon, David Oswald

Juvenile grey whale caught on camera in Nanoose Bay
A Parksville photographer has captured some stunning images of a grey whale that has been hanging out in the community of Nanoose Bay over the past several days.
Nanoose Bay, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News

Icelandic Capelin May Have Migrated to the Faroes
A large stock of capelins have been found in Faroese fjords of late and scientists believe that the fish probably swam there from Icelandic waters, RÚV reports. Iceland’s capelin stock has been in decline over the last two years, likely due to rising ocean temperatures.
Faroe Islands

Velella velella Strandings in Tofino
On a recent family vacation, stranded Velella velella were observed on beaches near Tofino, British Columbia.
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

Wild animals appear in Israeli urban areas as COVID-19 pandemic isolates people at homes
Nubian ibexes which were seen "going into Eilat city and grazing in the gardens along the seafront," and striped hyenas seen "walking around the parks and in the neighborhoods in the early hours of the evening" in the southern metropolitan of Beersheba.
Beersheba, Southern District, Israel
Xinhua

Wildlife Return to Field Training Area
As human activity is reduced due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, wildlife sightings become more frequent.
CFB Shilo Training Area

Increase in Snowshoe Hares (Lepus americanus)
Snowshoe hare populations are at a high point in Alaska and are making an uncommon appearance in Anchorage.

Multiple Cougars Seen Wandering the Streets of Santiago Amid Coronavirus Lockdown
A third cougar has been sighted wandering through a residential neighborhood of Santiago, Chile.
Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan, Chile
EcoWatch

Coyote (Canis latrans) Observed in Edmonton Urban Setting
A coyote was observed in urban Edmonton, when they are usually found in grasslands, agricultural lands, or forested areas.
Beaumont, Alberta, Canada

Rats come out of hiding as lockdowns eliminate urban trash
With less litter on the ground and garbage in Dumpsters behind restaurants, rats are seeking food elsewhere.
New York City, New York, United States
National Geographic

Daytime raccoon (Procyon lotor) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) activity
Unusual raccoon and red fox activity in Toronto.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Wild Animals Reclaim San Francisco and LA After Cities Empty Over COVID-19
As California streets empty under the stay-at-home measures to “flatten the curve” of the novel coronavirus outbreak, wild animals have come to reclaim their domain.
San Francisco, California, United States
The Daily Beast

Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) in Wasilla
Unusual winter sighting of a northern shrike (*Lanius borealis*) could become more common as temperatures rise.
Knik-Fairview, Alaska, United States

Orca Completes 8,000 km Swim from Iceland to Lebanon
A male orca whale belonging to an Icelandic pod was sighted around Beirut, Lebanon, on February 19 and 20. Per a press release issued by Orca Guardians of Iceland, this is a journey of just over 8,000 kilometres (4,970 miles) and is the longest known one-way distance travelled by any ‘killer whale’ to date. The …
Beirut, Lebanon

Otters spotted in southern Alberta city for first time in about a century
Some welcome new visitors have recently appeared in a southeastern Alberta park — otters.
Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Rare Arctic seal pup named after a flower rescued from Storm Brendan
Ringed seal Cloudberry was rescued from Quilty by Seal Rescue Ireland after being seen in Kerry.
Burren, Mayo, Ireland
Metro

Stranded Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata)
Bella Bella 1, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Pack of wolves spotted in Colorado
The agency said an eyewitness account, video and scavenged elk ''strongly suggests a pack of gray wolves may now be residing in Colorado.''
Moffat County, Colorado, USA
Coloradoan

Cyanobacteria in a deep well contaminates community water source
In 2020, contamination of the community water well by cyanobacteria caused the community to evacuate for 26 days. How the well was contaminated is unknown.
Kingcome Inlet

Winter Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Robins are migratory birds, but may stay in one place if the temperature is warm and/or there is food available.

Massive anchovy school in White Rock draws a crowd
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said photographer Marissa Baecker, who was visiting White Rock from Kelowna on Christmas Day. “It wasn’t just a feeding, it was a feast.”
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Anchovies take over White Rock shores
People in White Rock, B.C. are used to seeing fish in their waters but not quite like this.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Facebook Watch

Thousands of 'sea pickles' wash up on Monterey Bay beach
Hundreds upon hundreds of specimens known as "sea pickles" washed up on Monterey Bay beaches on Thursday. As explained by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, "Big waves and strong currents are pushing pyrosomes onto local beaches.
Asilomar State Beach, Pacific Grove, California, United States
SFGate

Pod of Orca whales migrate more than 3,000 miles from Iceland to Italy
A pod of Orca whales has made an unprecedented trip from Iceland to more than 3,000 miles away in Genoa, Italy according to a nonprofit organization that tracks them.
Genoa, Liguria, Italy
ABC News

Flares used to scare away 63 polar bears besieging a remote Russian village
Amazing footage shows the bears just 150 metres from the nearest house as shooting is criticised - but does little to deter predators.
Siberia Times

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) North of Seasonal Range
The northernmost iNaturalist observation (November-March) of Black-crowned Night-Heron (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) in eastern North America.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Twitter

Rare flock of birds spotted in Oak Bay
Lesser Goldfinch birds were seen munching on local greenery
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

As reported Delta-area mountain lion sightings increase, wildlife managers search for evidence
Joel Holbrook wishes he had grabbed his camera after he and his wife spotted what they swear was a mountain lion near their home, which is located near the Bluff Cabin Trail. Officials have confirmed the presence of mountain lions in Southeast Alaska, but have yet to substantiate reports of animals roaming further north.
*LEO Network says, if you are looking for photo proof, check out the post from Willard Hand in Tazlina.*
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Wildlife sat-nav goes awry as White Stork and Flamingo defy nature and fly to Siberia in winter
Frantic efforts to save the wrong-turn birds from harsh cold.
Barnaul, Altai Krai, Russia
Siberia Times

‘It was so unfazed by me’: Woman recounts slobber-covered cat’s encounter with wolverine
Lenny didn’t have a wound on him but hasn’t been the same since, his owner says.

Alaska’s feline Bigfoot? Mountain lion sightings reported in Delta Junction
Biologists say they’ve been unable to confirm several reported sightings, including one from a resident who’s sure a cougar showed up in his yard.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

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

Beached "ice eggs" astound strollers on Finnish island
The oval ice formations created by wave action were piled up on a Hailuoto beach.
Hailuoto, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Bizarre ice balls found in Arctic Alaska river puzzle locals and scientists
Danny Foster and Mike Hawley of Kivalina were ice fishing outside of town when they came upon something they’d never seen before. Incidentally, similar ice balls or ice eggs were reported on an ocean beach in Finland on the same day.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Mergansers (Mergus merganser) on Cheney Lake
Mergansers (*Mergus merganser*) are not common visitors to Cheney Lake, but a flock of about a dozen showed up in early November.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Sighting, Rare on Vancouver Island
This is one of just a small number of Blue Jay sightings recorded on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Lutselk'e man says he saw a grizzly bear near Yellowknife
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources says that although it's not typical for grizzlies to live in the Yellowknife area, there are cases in which an animal will leave its normal range.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Invasion of Cascadia
The Cascadia Bioregion, including Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, is outside of [the historical range of the Blue Jay *(Cyanocitta but they have been increasingly sighted in the region since the first one was sighted in Montana in 1958.
Cascadia Bioregion

Rare bird sighting brings crowds of birding enthusiasts to Vancouver Island
A yellow-browed warbler spotted in Panama Flats on Friday drew dozens of birding enthusiasts to Vancouver Island on Saturday
Panama Flats, Victoria, BC, Canada

Unidentified Foam on Fallen Leaves
Unusual foam on autumn fallen leaves does not belong to a spittlebug, but may be a type of fungus.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

River otters attack, injure family dog in Anchorage park
The dog’s owner waded waist-deep into Taku Lake and was bitten on his hand while pulling the husky-mix away from the river otters,.

Outbreak of tree-killing, allergy-inducing moths
An infestation of tussock moths, which have the ability to quickly kill healthy Douglas fir trees, is on the move in British Columbia and the Ministry of Forests says it has now been found further north than ever before.
Wycotte Flat, British Columbia, Canada

Humpback whale spotted in River Thames found dead
It was hoped the whale would find its way out without help, as it did not initially appear to be in any distress.
Greenhithe, England, United Kingdom
Sky News

Humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) Whale in the River Thames, off Rainham
Erith, England, United Kingdom

Nepal is reeling from an unprecedented dengue outbreak
As climate change opens new regions to mosquitoes, Nepal suffers an outbreak of the painful viral disease that has sickened more than 9,000 people.
Nepal
Science News

Poisonous porcupine fish arrives on Island shores — a B.C. first
Gavin Hanke reaches a gloved hand into the formaldehyde tank at the Royal British Columbia Museum very, very carefully. What emerges is a B.C. first — a poisonous spotted porcupine fish.
Jordan River, B.C. Canada
Times Colonist

Emaciated grizzly bears in Canada spark greater concerns over depleted salmon population
With hibernation fast approaching, a grizzly bear family is spotted searching for fish near the shores of Canada's Knight Inlet. They're emaciated, and wildlife observers worry might not make it through winter. The heartbreaking images highlight another victim of the climate crisis and the depleted salmon population.
Knight Inlet, British Columbia, Canada
CNN

Young Beaver (Castor canadensis) a Long Way from Nearest Known Beaver Pond
Nick Page shared the following observation of a young beaver north of Courtenay on Vancouver Island. There are not many beaver observations on Vancouver Island, and most are very recent, especially in this part of Vancouver Island. The closest iNaturalist observation is linked here.
Somewhere North of Courtenay

Hypothermic tropical sea turtle rescued from waters near Port Alberni
A weak and hypothermic sea turtle is recovering after being rescued near Port Alberni.It’s the fourth olive ridley sea turtle on record in B.C. waters
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) offshore of Vancouver
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, British Columbia, Canada

Why do Calgarians keep seeing bobcats?
The city keeps a record of the number of reported sightings of the animals, along with other wildlife. There were three sightings in 2007, about 10 in 2015 and 27 this year.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The Star

Large Squid Caught in Chignik Bay
Unidentified squid caught by rod and reel off the beach.
Chignik, Alaska, United States

'First time I've seen a shark': Nunavut man nets shark in rare catch
"It's the first time I guess the whole town seeing a shark in real [life]," he said. "Must have been just about the whole town that come to see it." The shark is likely a salmon shark, typically found around Alaska and B.C.
Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada

An invasive algae is threatening the Strait of Gibraltar’s fishing grounds
Returning to port with tons of algae in their trammel nets, with hardly any fish, has become a common drama for the men fishing in Spain's Southern coast. The same “catastrophe” is also threatening the marine biodiversity of the area and piling up on beaches.
Spanish Mediterranean coast

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