LEO Network

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

Observations

Fishermen of Uelen village accidentally caught a dolphin
Fishermen from Uelen in Chukotsky District hauled in what they believed was a dolphin, but specialists later identified the animal as a harbour porpoise.
Uelen, Chukotsky District, Chukotka, Russia
ProChukotku

White Bear Driven Away from Uelen Village for Over a Week
In Uelen, Chukotka, a volunteer 'Bear Patrol' has been driving away a white bear for over a week after its initial appearance on February 26, attracted by the scent of stored walrus meat. The bear’s recurring intrusion has raised concerns as Uelen lies along the polar bear migration route, and similar incidents have reportedly tripled compared to previous years.
Uelen, Chukotka, Russia
ProChukotku

Two Earthquakes Occur Near the Chukotkan Village of Lavrentiya
On Wednesday, February 12, two earthquakes occurred off the coast of Chukotka, with the village of Lavrentiya being closest to the epicenter, although residents did not feel the tremors.
Lavrentiya, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
prochukotku.ru

Earthquake South of Diomede, No Injuries Reported
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck about 20 miles south of Little Diomede on February 3, 2025, with residents in the region feeling the tremor but reporting no injuries. Seismic events along the Bering microplate have happened before, although they’re not common. The largest on record was a magnitude 7.3 earthquake near Huslia in 1958.
Little Diomede, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

The roofs of three apartment buildings were partially torn off by a storm in the Chukotka village of Lorino
A severe storm in Lorino, Russia, partially tore roofs off three apartment buildings, highlighting unusual weather patterns in the region.
Lorino, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Prochukotku.ru

Curious Polar Bear Frightens Residents of Chukotka Village
A polar bear wandered into the village of Uelen in Chukotka, Russia, causing alarm among residents who quickly took shelter. Bear patrol workers were able to safely drive the bear away without incident. Local residents note that polar bears have visited more often this year than last year. Taking this case into account, patrol volunteers have chased away the polar predators 6 times.
Uelen, Chukotka, Russia
Prochukotku

Storm Resumes Coal Delivery in Chukotka District
A storm in Chukotka cleared ice, enabling the coal ship 'Tanir' to deliver 2,000 tons of coal to the village of Uelen.
Uelen, Chukotka, Russia
IA Chukotka

The Hope Dog Sled Race Attracts a Polar Bear to Uelen
A polar bear was drawn to the Hope Dog Sled Race in Chukotka, Russia, an unusual event for the area. It is the third recent visit of a bear to the village. In size and build, the polar predator is similar to the same bear thatdisturbedlocal residents on the night of March 28.
Uelen, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Prochukotku

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

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

White bear stole walrus meat from residents of the Chukotka village Uelen
A polar bear was seen in Uelen after stealing walrus meat from local residents, prompting caution as the animal roamed the village during its migration season.
Uelen, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
ProChukotku

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

Researchers find even higher algal levels in regional waters
After alerting the region to very high levels of harmful algal blooms west of Kotzebue and Gambell two weeks ago, scientist onboard the research vessel Norseman II have found even higher numbers of Alexandrium catenella algae cells near Wales, Diomede and Shishmaref.
Wales, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

The polar bear was driven away from the village in the Chukotka district
On Wednesday morning, March 2, marine hunters of the community "Daurkin" found a polar bear 1.5 kilometers from the village of Laurentia on the ice of the bay. The animal was driven away from the village towards the sea. Two weeks previously, 11 polar predators were spotted near the village of Neshkan.
Lavrentiya, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Polar bear with cub visits Diomede School
John Ahkvaluk , 56, a polar bear guard revealed that this is not a good sign for the village. It’s the first time in several years that bears come at this time of the year. “It’s a warning that they got no food out there and they came looking for it here,” he said.
After the incident, Luchie Manlangit, the school principal, and I invited John Ahkvaluk to talk to the kids and to share some protocols if polar bear will come around again.
Diomede, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Windy March Storms in Wales Cause Concern for Future
March brought a series of storms across the Seward Peninsula, and in one Bering Strait community that meant a series of power outages. The storms are stronger than residents recall in the past.
Wales, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Two more Russian tankers transit Bering Strait
Two more Russian LNG tankers made history earlier this month passing through the North Sea Route, which extends along the northern coast of Russian Asia, in late January, the latest commercial ship
Diomede, Alaska, United States

Tanker “Nikolay Yevgenov” damaged by ice on the Northern Sea Route
One of three propulsion units on the tanker “Nikolay Yevgenov” was damaged on January 16 as the vessel approached the Bering Strait. After having sailed with a speed of about 9 knots from Sabetta, the tanker suddenly slowed to 3 knots.
kommersant.ru

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

Erosion Threatening Burial Site
A few years ago, people had to cover up parts of the burial site that were becoming exposed.
Racheal Lee, Max Neale, Erica Lujan, Tom Wolforth, Mike Brubaker, Michael Bruce, Debra Seetook, Vladimir Romanovsky, Louisa Castrodale

Wales Loses Shorefast Ice
Wales lost shorefast ice early in the season. Ice along the shore has been crushed and broken. This is a very unusual event for Wales as many of our hunters rely on great ice conditions for whale and other sea mammal catch for food.

NOAA survey shows shocking lack of thermal barrier between northern and southern Bering Sea
The “thermal curtain” is another expression for “cold pool” that acts as a barrier to keep some species—pollock and Pacific cod, for example — from migrating across the eastern Bering Sea shelf and northward toward the Bering Strait. For the first time in 37 years of surveying the Bering Sea, we could not find the cold water barrier.

Unusual Spiders by the Dozen
Spiders possibly wolf spiders of family (*Lycosidae*) numbering some 75 to 100 were seen on top of snow along Boulder Creek road and lagoon.

Storms pummel Bering Sea islands after ‘crazy’ ice melt-off
Recent storms and warm seas melted a vast stretch of ice in the Bering Sea, leaving some islands surrounded by water when they should be locked in ice.
Anchorage Daily News

In Western Alaska, there's water where there should be ice
Last week, social media across Western Alaska lit up as residents posted photos and videos of open water where, normally, there's ice.
KTOO

High levels of algae-produced biotoxin found in dead walrus
Three of the walruses had low to moderate levels of saxitoxin, while the fourth one had high levels.
Anchorage Daily News

Change in Wind and Weather Patterns
Weather patterns have changed so much in the past several years.
Moses Tcheripanoff, Stanley Oxereok, Erica Lujan, Richard L Thoman Jr

Ice of Change - Amid Waterfowl Sightings
No sea ice; hunters say it should not be like this today.

Smokey Air
Hazy fourth of July...

Sighting of White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera)
White-winged crossbill
Diomede, Alaska, Unites States

No Sea Ice Yet
By this time of the year, we usually have 2-3 miles of shore-fast ice that sticks to our beach. We as a village have not done our winter harvest of seals and walrus, and we are worried that we will not be able to bowhead whale hunt.

Dead Orca (Orcinus orca) Whale
Dead orca observed in the Bering Strait region.

Sighted - Swainson's thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
9-04-15 Swainson's thrush - Wales, Alaska, USA
Beth Paluso, Brit Oxereok, Dean Stockwell

Unusual Spider
8-1-14 Unusual spider - Wales, Alaska, USA

Dead Spotted (Phoca largha) and Ringed (Pusa hispida) Seals
We are spotting dead baby 'spotted' and 'ringed' seals washing up on the beach with no signs of lesions or signs of gun shots.
Gay Sheffield, Olivia Lee, Robert Tokeinna, Hajo Eicken

Poor Sea Ice - Our Sea Garden
The sea is our garden for food and other things.

Ringed seal mortality
Uelen, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

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

Support

Observation Template