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

Mandatory evacuations ordered in Kotzebue as flooding from coastal storm begins
Flooding had already begun by Wednesday afternoon, and the weather service forecast said water could rise as high as 10 feet above the high tide line. Flood waters are expected to peak around 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Vegetation is now obscuring old lake site
The drained lake basin near Kotzebue, Alaska, has rapidly transformed since 2024, now densely covered with vegetation and expanding erosion, revealing more ice and supporting a thriving ecosystem, highlighting significant environmental changes since the sudden drainage event in 2022.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Susan Tessier, Benjamin Jones, Guido Grosse, Lars Flora

The tundra is burning
In July 2025, lightning-triggered wildfires near the Kobuk River in Northwest Alaska threatened local homes and the tundra ecosystem. The author returned by small plane to set up firebreaks and sprinkler systems with fire crews to protect his sod house and surrounding caribou habitat.
Kotzebue, Northwest Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Human skull washed up in Kotzebue last month is ancient, village officials say
A human skull found in Kotzebue in October is ancient, with officials confirming it is not contemporary. The skull was discovered in an area formerly used as a burial site. Since the recent flooding, police said they received three reports of remains washing up on shore in the Kotzebue area.
Anchorage Daily News

Jellyfish Invasion Raises Dog Safety Concerns
The storm event on October 21st brought an invasion of jellyfish to flooded areas. Eating jellyfishis thought to have resulted in one dog fatality, raising concerns for pet owners across Kotzebue.
Jacqualine Schaeffer, Laurie Meythaler-Mullins, Gay Sheffield, Tom Okey

Fall 2024 Storm Exposed Coastal Permafrost
A severe fall storm in 2024 exposed coastal permafrost in Kotzebue, revealing ice layers previously covered by clay or plants and raising concerns about increased melting and environmental contamination.
Jacquelyn Overbeck, Alexander Kholodov, Susan Tessier, Vladimir Romanovsky, Anna Liljedahl

Storm Submerges Kotzebue
A record storm caused extensive flooding in Kotzebue, Alaska, submerging the town and prompting community concern and relief efforts.
Anna Liljedahl , Jacqualine Schaeffer, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gemini

Fall storm damages houses in Kotzebue and Northwest Alaska villages
A severe fall storm caused significant damage in Kotzebue, Alaska, with high winds and rising water levels leading to airport inaccessibility, disrupted flights, and emergency declarations.
Anchorage Daily News

Fox Attacks House Cat
A fox attack on a house cat in Kotzebue, Alaska, raises concerns about unusual wildlife behavior, potentially linked to diseases like rabies or avian influenza, and highlights the importance of disease prevention and wildlife management.
Russell Cameron , Kimberlee Beckmen, Gemini

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

Reports of dying voles in Kotzebue area
These small rodents are a key part of the Northwest Arctic ecosystem.
Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Joanna Barton, Sarah Yoder, Susan Georgette, Kimberlee Beckmen, Gay Sheffield, Carmen Daggett, Susan Tessier, Kimberlee Beckmen

Black-legged kittiwakes dying in Kotzebue Sound area
A couple of weeks ago I spotted a small gull on the second bridge behind Kotzebue. The bird wouldn't fly and was walking slowly.
Louisa Castrodale, Andrew Ramey, Racheal Lee, Susan Tessier, Joanna Barton, Gay Sheffield, Kimberlee Beckmen, January Frost, Sarah Yoder

Grizzly bear spotted close to Kotzebue
While Northwest Arctic residents encounter bears year-round, such sightings are not common in Kotzebue this time of year, Cantine said. Charlie Henry Jr., an Elder from Kotzebue, agreed: “That is so strange — brown bear in the middle part of the coldest months.”

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

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.

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

Musk ox killed in Kotzebue after it posed a threat to residents
Earlier on Monday, Maniilaq Association notified Kotzebue residents about the musk ox in a Facebook post, saying that the animal was “roaming around the Kotzebue area, last sighted near ‘old’ teacher housing on the lagoon.” Health officials asked residents to not approach or agitate the animal and to keep their dogs under control.

High water in Kotzebue Sound
Water floods the Kotzebue lagoon. Grasses can be seen in July and a month later in August the water has risen 4-6 ft.
Jacquelyn Overbeck, Susan Tessier, Jimmy Evak, Nic Kinsman, Jacqualine Schaeffer

Strange orange deposit on beach and waters of Kotzebue Sound
Out commercial fishing on the water in the inter Kotzebue Sound the weather was calm and there were miles and miles of a strange floating orange layer on the surface.
Dean Stockwell, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Dean Stockwell, Derek Sikes, Gay Sheffield, Sarah Yoder

Is this bird circling behavior normal?
This video shot on June 11th outside of Kotzebue shows red-necked phalaropes displaying circling behavior.
Sarah Yoder, Susan Tessier, January Frost, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Andrew Ramey

Kotzebue still shoveling out from March storms
Kotzebue experienced one blizzard after another in March, and now with so much piled up and drifted snow, the community is struggling to dig out.

Major March Storm
"I was born and raised in Kotzebue and have been through many storms. This was one of the worst."
Lars Flora, Jimmy Evak, Richard L Thoman Jr

Extended Storms in Early March
It has been some years since we have had a long storm. March 6 marks the 3rd day and there have been no jets or small planes flying.

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

Fish die off near Kotzebue
Ali Ralson was riding her 4 Wheeler towards Cape Blossom and came upon a beach full of fish. It appears that most of the fish are stickleback although there may be other species involved too. This would suggest an environmental issue that would impact multiple fish species rather than a pathogen. One potential cause could be harmful algal toxins.
Cape Blossom
Gay Sheffield, Carmen Daggett, Joanna Barton, Ted Meyers, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Jayde Ferguson, Dean Stockwell, Bruce Wright

Storm images from Kotzebue
Jacqualine Schaeffer, Jimmy Evak, James Benzschawel, Chris Dankmeyer

Storm impacts from Kotzebue airport
James Benzschawel, Chris Dankmeyer, Susan Tessier, Jacqualine Schaeffer

Summer storm hits Kotzebue
There has been alot of heavy weather hitting western Alaska this summer. Here are photos from recent storm surge in Kotzebue.
James Benzschawel, Richard L Thoman Jr, Susan Tessier, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Joanna Barton

Sudden lake draining event
"The event occurred on June 29th, on our native allotment near Kotzebue (Illivak). We left home in the morning and when we came back around 8:00 PM in the evening the whole lake had drained! It looked like it was blown up with dynamite."
Ken Tape, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gemini , Guido Grosse, Susan Tessier, Benjamin Jones, Anna Liljedahl , Vladimir Romanovsky, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Joanna Barton, Ingmar Nitze, Bruce Forbes

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

Pussy Willows at Kotzebue during winter
Pussy willows sprouting on March 1st! This is the second time in Kotzebue that a March bloom has been documented in LEO Network., but this time it is much earlier.
Katie Spellman, Jimmy Evak, Richard L Thoman Jr

A huge Alaska caribou herd's population is again in decline
One of the largest caribou herds in North America has declined by nearly a quarter in the past two years, hitting a population level that justifies new hunting restrictions. The news was delivered last week at the annual meeting of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group, an advisory organization with representatives of villages dependent
ArcticToday

Erosion at Cape Blossom
"The sea level rise and wind is making this happen because it is really vulnerable. We are always really amazed every time we go out there with the change, and pieces of earth the size of a house falling over."

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.
Alaska Public Media

July was Kotzebue's wettest month on record
The record was driven in part by a heavy rainstorm that set Kotzebue's single-day precipitation record.
KTOO

Thousands of lightning strikes spark more than a dozen wildfires in Northwest Alaska
On Tuesday night, the state of Alaska saw thousands of lightning strikes. “Most of the 3,800 lightning strikes were concentrated in the Northwest Arctic,” said BLM Alaska Fire Service spokeswoman Beth Ipsen. There are several communities in close proximity to new fires.
KTOO
Wesley Early, Alaska's Energy Desk - Kotzebue

Infected Covid-19 patients climb in Arctic Alaska
October began with "an explosion" of COVID-19 positive cases despite efforts to tighten and extend restrictions. In the first five days 14 residents on the North Slope and 23 in the Northwest Arctic, upping active caseloads in each borough to 40 and 45, respectively.
The Arctic Sounder

Foreign Trash Washing Up on Beaches
"We have been finding plastic bottles, glass bottles, couple life vests, and boots." The Bering Sea has noted an abundance of foreign debris washing up on our shores. Communities like Unalakleet, Gambell, Savoonga and Nome have all reported and documented hoards of this debris.
Shishmaref, Alaska

Major Coastal Erosion near Kotzebue
The rate of coastal erosion seems to be speeding up near Cape Blossom.
Cape Blossom, Alaska, United States
Jimmy Evak, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Vladimir Romanovsky

Strange waves cause concern in Shishmaref
Denise Fernandez has lived on the island her entire life and says she's never seen waves like she did on Monday.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
KTVA

Holiday cold snap breaks records, may save Northwest Alaska snowmachine races
It’s a dramatic drop from this winter’s balmy start, but this is a normal weather pattern for this time of year.
Alaska Public Media

Erosion of Burial Site

Weird weather brings flooding to Kotzebue
The flooding was caused by a weather system that moved up to the Bering Sea from the tropics, and raised water levels and dumped rain across much of western Alaska.
The Arctic Sounder

More dead marine mammals, birds found on region’s beaches
Alaska Sea Grant agent Gay Sheffield from Nome responded to report of a dead bowhead and a dead grey whale northeast of Shishmaref near Cape Espenburg.
The Nome Nugget

Add krill and mussels to the list of unusual marine deaths in Northwest Alaska
Village wildlife observers worry that the unusual warmth of oceans off Alaska is causing problems throughout the ecosystem.

More dead ice seals found near Deering
This comes just days after other reports of about 60 dead ice seals found from Kotlik to Kotzebue and Kivalina to Point Hope.
Deering, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Dead Krill and Sea Birds, Stranded Ice Seals
A range of wildlife-related events have been occurring this month in Shishmaref and other parts of Norton Sound.
Anahma Shannon, Dean Stockwell, Kathy Burek Huntington, Louisa Castrodale, Kathy Kuletz, Andrew Kakoona, Ted Meyers, Sharon Nayokpuk, Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Richard L Thoman Jr, Joel Garlich-Miller, Mike Brubaker, Amy Holman, Racheal Lee, Barbara Mahoney, Kimberlee Beckmen, Chris Dankmeyer

First Mosquito (Culicidae) Sighted
First mosquito sighting in Kotzebue.

Willows (genus Salix) Budding in March
Willows budding about a month early 30 miles above the Arctic Circle.

Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) With Bad Odor and Taste
The smelt, caught through the ice in late January, may have caused a person who ate some to get sick. Local, tribal and state officials worked together to collect and analyze the fish.
Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Percy Nayokpuk, Jayde Ferguson, Anahma Shannon, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee, Tim Thomas, Sharon Nayokpuk, David Verbrugge, Mike Brubaker

Icebergs and Open Sea
Very strong south winds took out all the sea ice and created an ice pile in front of the village.
Andrew Kakoona, Olivia Lee, Sharon Nayokpuk

Are great white sharks sinking their teeth into Bering Sea seals?
There’s only one historical record of a great white shark in the Bering Sea: fishermen caught one nearly 40 years ago. But scientists have reason to believe that in recent years there might be more of the predators around.

Public asked to report dead birds
In May and June, dead birds, mostly murres, have been washing up on beaches on St. Lawrence Island, Shishmaref and east Norton Sound.
The Nome Nugget

Subsistence hunters are adapting to a warming Alaska with new, high-tech tools
The weather was warm and the ice was late in coming, so Dennis Davis set up a piece of equipment unknown to his Inupiaq forebears: his drone.
TheWorld

Ocean Ice Is All Gone
Rough seas and moving sea ice.
Sharon Nayokpuk, Hajo Eicken, Richard L Thoman Jr

Arctic sees temporary return to colder temperatures
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope

Amid Shrinking Sea Ice, Hunters Race To Adapt
As snow machines zoomed past, Dennis Davis set up his new drone. According to Davis, blue ice is more solid than white. Those are areas hunters can travel across more safely as they search for marine mammal prey.

Arctic in January - No Sea Ice
Residents use drones to show unusual sea ice conditions along the Chukchi coast.

After the Storm
A recent storm in Norton Sound has increased coastal erosion affecting community transportation.

Storm causes flooding, erosion across Northwest Alaska
"Yesterday we came over to do an assessment of the high-water flood storm," said Northwest Arctic Borough Deputy Director of Public Services Dickie Moto, who grew up in Deering. "They lost a lot of ground on the front and on the back side of town because of the high water and rough seas.
Deering, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Aftermath of the Storm

Storm Surge
A strong storm impacting NW Alaska with high winds and sea level rise (over 6 ft) caused localized flooding in Kotzebue.

Coastal Shore Erosion
Coastal erosion occurring near Cape Blossom, outside of Kotzebue, Alaska.
Cape Blossom, NW Alaska, United States

Alaska biologists research mystery of declining caribou herd
The size of a large caribou herd in Alaska's Arctic region has dropped by more 50 percent over the last three years, and researchers who have tentatively ruled out hunting and predation as significant factors for the decline are trying to determine why.
Associated Press

Open Water in Our Ocean
This fall freeze-up was somewhat delayed, not just in the Bering Straits region, but all the way up to Barrow.

Unusual Spider (Araneus marmoreus)?
Unusual Spider?

Unusual Ladybug (Calvia quatuordecimguttata)?
First time we have seen so many ladybugs on our island.

Floodwaters recede after Deering declares disaster
For one day last week, the village of Deering needed to use a boat to get to the airport.
Deering, Alaska, United States

Growth On Sheefish (Stenodus leucichthys) Heart
Tapioca like growth identified as larval trematode parasites (digenean metacercariae).

Unusually High March Temperatures
Unseasonably warm in Arctic.

Late Sea Ice Freeze Bring Together Seals and Caribou

Coastal Erosion
Coastal erosion near Cape Blossom

Odd Marine Debris
Unusual debris found on beach
Shismaref, Alaska, United States
Sharon Nayokpuk, Gay Sheffield, Peter Murphy, Ali Hamade

Sheen on Water in Shishmaref
Photos and observations of the sheen thought to be caused by a fuel leak in the village of Shishmaref.

No Sea Ice
South winds blew out most of the sea ice. Going to be bad ice if it refreezes for spring hunt.

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

Pacific Sleeper Shark (Somniosus pacificus)
10-20-14 Sleeper shark - Shishmaref, Alaska, USA

Extreme Shore Erosion
Loss of shoreline and subsistence camps.

With warm December winds, shaken faith in Arctic weather
Folks here are famous for being able to handle the cold, but anything wet in December has always made us nervous. Especially wet falling from the sky. Lately, weather, our favorite nemesis, has broken the rules. Our confidence in the most-trustworthy feature of the Arctic -- winter -- has been wounded.

Hairless Seal
10-19-13 Hairless seal - Shishmaref, Alaska, USA

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

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
On my way home for a lunch break, I noticed a different type of bird that I have ever seen before.

Predaceous Diving Beetle (Cybister fimbriolatus)
Predaceous diving beetle

Crane Fly (Tipula oleraceaa) Adult Sighted
Crane fly adult

Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) in the Arctic
Brown bears spotted by a resident for the first time on the island of Shishmaref.

Unusual Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Sighting
Rare polar bear sighting in Sisualik summer camp, about 10-11 miles north of Kotzebue, AK.
Sisualik Fish Camp, Alaska, United States

Unusual Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus)
5-29-12 Unusual bearded seal - Shishmaref, Alaska, USA

Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida) with Sores
Ringed seal with sores found in Shishmaref.

Sick ringed seal

Stranded seal

Alaska musk oxen found frozen in ice
Thirty-two musk oxen carcasses were found March 15 by scientists who had been studying them. The animals were dead and entombed in ice. The belief is that the musk oxen either drowned during a February thaw or became trapped in water and died after it froze.

Spotted seal

Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida)

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.
Arctic Sounder

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