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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

Kodiak dog tests positive for canine distemper
A dog at the Kodiak Animal Shelter was euthanized after testing positive for canine distemper, leading to a quarantine and a halt on adoptions.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

250,000 birds euthanized in Petaluma due to bird flu
Avian influenza or “bird flu” is hitting Bay Area poultry farms hard, with a quarter of a million birds euthanized in Sonoma County this week alone. Mike Weber, the co-owner of Sunrise Farms in Petaluma, says around 82,000 of his egg-laying chickens had to be euthanized after birds started testing positive for avian flu.
Petaluma, California, United States

Power restored in Pangnirtung; mayor grateful for ‘community spirit’ during lengthy outage
Things were returning to normal in Pangnirtung on Monday after an extreme winter storm left parts of the community without electricity for close to four days.
Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Unseasonably warm temperatures leave winter athletes in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., in the lurch
In Fort Simpson, the weather is still not cold enough to open the community's ice rink. Young athletes in the community say they are struggling to adapt.
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Wolf believed to have killed pet dog in Yellowknife area
A black wolf that was seen travelling between Dettah and Ndilǫ this weekend is believed to have “mauled and killed” a pet dog, according to the N.W.T. Department of Environment and Climate Change.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Experts detonate historic cache of TNT discovered near Tok
Eielson Air Force Base's EOD team safely detonated a historic TNT cache from WWII-era Alaska Highway construction discovered near Tok.
Tok, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Abundance of seeds on snow
Big snow falls, warm temperatures, and strong winds covers snow surface with a variety of seeds from trees.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Katie Spellman, Mike Brubaker, Lars Flora

Little Diomede city building slides off its foundation, leaving community vulnerable for more damage
A city building in Little Diomede, Alaska, slid off its foundation, threatening the structural integrity of adjacent buildings and critical services, with the community seeking immediate assistance.
Diomede, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Powerful storm pounds the Black Sea region, leaving more than a half-million people without power
A severe storm in the Black Sea region caused widespread damage, power outages affecting over 500,000 people, and disrupted services across southern Russia, Ukraine, and Crimea. The storms were part of a weather system that created blizzard-like conditions in Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria and Serbia on Sunday, dumping snow and causing power outages and fatal traffic accidents.
CTVNews

Heavy snowfall in Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova leaves 1 person dead and many without electricity
Heavy snowfall and strong blizzards in Romania and Moldova on Sunday left one person dead and hundreds of localities without electricity, as well as forcing the closure of some national roads, authorities said.
Bucharest, Romania
CTVNews

Pack of wolves north of Yellowknife reported stalking hikers, pets
The N.W.T. Department of Environment and Climate Change has warned anyone using trails north of Yellowknife to use "extreme caution" after wildlife officers reported a pack of wolves stalking a hiker and their dogs in the area on Saturday.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Wolf expert praises Yellowknife woman for handling of 'not atypical' encounter
A wolf expert commended a Yellowknife woman for her response during a typical encounter with a pack of wolves, advising caution and proper behavior in such situations. "I had hiking poles and I started banging them together and I'm just like 'hey, hey, hey.' I know sometimes dogs respond to deeper voices, so I put my best deep voice on. I started yelling at them."
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Storm erodes shoreline at Shishmaref
A storm caused shoreline erosion in Shishmaref, Alaska, but no evacuations were needed as the new seawall held and damage was minimal.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Storm erodes shoreline at Shishmaref
High winds that pushed water high up on south facing shores of the Seward Peninsula cause shoreline erosion on the Chukchi Sea coast of Shishmaref, last week.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

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

1 dead as blizzard bears down on Kivalliq
The storm brought powerful wind gusts to communities in the Kivalliq region that topped 100 km/h and resulted in whiteout conditions. Temperatures fell to -20 C but felt closer to -40 C, factoring in the wind chill, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada. Videos and photos posted to social media appeared to show damage to some buildings and other infrastructure, including the roof of Simon Alaittuq Middle School Rankin Inlet.
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

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

Bethel SAR warns against Kuskokwim River travel after aerial survey
Bethel Search and Rescue advises against travel on the Kuskokwim River due to dangerous conditions of open water and thin ice identified in their annual aerial survey.
Kuskokwim River, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

At least 3 dead in Wrangell after landslide destroys homes
A landslide in Wrangell, Alaska, killed three people, destroyed homes, and left three missing after heavy rainfall triggered the disaster.
Wrangell, Alaska, United States

Mat-Su schools closed Tuesday after blizzard hits power lines, highways
Mat-Su schools will be closed Tuesday due to a blizzard causing power outages and hazardous driving conditions.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska, United States
Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

An Egret on the Alaska Peninsula
An unusual visitor showed up in King Cove in late November. Shankell Mack was able to get a picture. The great egret is rare sighting anywhere in Alaska.
King's Cove, Alaska, United States

Oil spill tops 1 million gallons, threatens Gulf of Mexico wildlife
A spill from a pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico has released over 1 million gallons of oil, threatening local wildlife and prompting containment efforts.
Gulf of Mexico
Washington Post

With Anchorage schools remote again, another storm hitting Southcentral Alaska
With Anchorage schools remote again due to a 17-inch snowfall and strong winds, another storm is hitting Southcentral Alaska, potentially causing power outages as trees fall on electric lines.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

High water around Kotzebue
Above normal temperatures in the month of November followed by a series of storms makes varying ice conditions.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Monday storm again closes Anchorage, Mat-Su schools and state offices
A winter storm in Anchorage and Mat-Su, Alaska has caused closures of state offices, schools, and bus services, with reports of stranded vehicles and accidents, and up to a foot of snow expected in some areas.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska, United States
Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

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