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

Pumpkins this year might be a little punier than you're used to, depending where you go
As leaves start to turn and fall settles in slowly but surely, farmers in the region say the size of pumpkins and health of other crops will vary greatly depending on how much rain a particular area got.
London, Ontario, Canada
CBC

Rabid skunk in Cambridge triggers public health wildlife warning
A rabid skunk in Cambridge, Ontario has prompted a public health warning to avoid contact with wildlife, as one person has already been exposed and received medical attention.
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
CBC

Wildfire smoke affecting millions of Canadians expected to linger for at least 2 days
Smoke from Canadian wildfires will make breathing outdoors difficult today for millions of people across the six largest provinces and into the United States.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CBC

Burlington bat has rabies. 1st case this year, Halton public health officials say
Halton Region Public Health confirmed the first case of rabies in a bat this year after finding the infected animal in Aldershot, a neighbourhood in Burlington.
Burlington, Ontario, Canada

95-year-old Toronto woman on morning walk withstands 'monster' raccoon attack
Earlier this year, Merrijoy Kelner was walking through a park in the Annex when a raccoon attached itself to her leg and began viciously biting her. Animal services later captured the raccoon, and it tested negative for rabies.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Influenza A (H5N1) virus detected in Wild Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Ontario
These cases represent the first detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 A/goose/Guangdong/1996 (Gs/GD) lineage in wild mammals in Ontario, Canada and in the Americas. One of the kits was found dead and the other was exhibiting severe neurological signs (including seizures) and died shortly after admission to a wildlife rehabilitation centre.
St. Marys, Ontario
Healthy Wildlife

Rabid bat discovered in Toronto's High Park
A bat in High Park tested positive for rabies on Wednesday, according to Toronto Public Health.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Lymantria dispar dispar outbreak
Lymantria dispar dispar also known as spongy moth was observed in Waterloo Ontario to be in unusually large quantities during the summer of 2021.
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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

New song in Canada's white-throated sparrows
Most bird species are slow to change their songs, preferring to stick with tried-and-true tunes to defend territories and attract females — but this shift went viral across Canada.
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Emerald ash borer keeping some GRCA properties closed
That includes the trail at the south end of Wrigley Lake in North Dumfries
Byng Island Conservation Area, Ontario
KitchenerToday.com

Orangeville area trees swarming with invasive caterpillars
If you hear the pitter-patter of what sounds like light rainfall but can't feel a drop of water, you probably already know that you have a caterpillar problem.
58228527
Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
Orangeville.com

Don't feed the baby foxes now running around Toronto, officials plead
The City of Toronto is asking residents to stop feeding a family of foxes that have made a boardwalk in The Beaches their home.
CTV

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

Tick that makes people allergic to red meat spotted in Ontario
A veterinary clinic in southern Ontario is sounding the alarm after discovering a rare tick known to cause a meat allergy in humans.
London, Ontario, Canada
CTVNews

Rat infestation plagues Toronto neighbourhood
Her right hand protected by an old plastic bag, Donna Devlin carefully reaches into a shallow sewer basin in her driveway, and drags out a dead rat the size of her forearm. It's the latest casualty in a war that Devlin and her neighbours say they've been fighting, on and off, for two decades.

Ecological collapse of Toronto's ravine system has begun, researcher says
Ravines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CBC News

Toronto beats temperature record as students swelter in schools without AC
Students and teachers at hundreds of Toronto schools without air conditioning sweltered their way through record-breaking heat on Wednesday, as the city’s largest school board said it understood why some parents might choose to keep their children at home.
CTVNews

Canada’s Outdoor Rinks Are Melting. So Is a Way of Life.
Canada loves its ice, and outdoor hockey is part of the nation's cultural identity. So what happens when winters get too warm for backyard rinks?
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
New York Times

Grand River watershed flooding causes several road closures
Officials say the combination of warm temperatures and rainfall is beginning to trigger significant runoff into the Grand River watershed.
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Global News

Lake Ontario levels are falling – but damage costs are rising
Taxpayers are staring at a $4.5-million-plus bill to repair everything from eroded trails to disappearing beaches to flooding streets.
Bayfront Park, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
TheSpec.com

Mosquitoes from hell: Why you shouldn't go outside unless you're prepared to get eaten alive
April’s high levels of rainfall led to continued flooding across the Greater Toronto Area‘s many beaches, creating a “breeding ground” for mosquitoes and West Nile Virus.
Vancouver Sun

Erosion and Habitat Disturbance at Mimico Creek
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada

From winter to summer: Where is the spring in Toronto?

Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)
Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Central Welland River Fish Kill
Common carp (*Cyprinus carpio*) and channel catfish (*Ictalurus punctatus*) die from low dissolved oxygen and ammonia that are the result of an over-application of biosolids.
Welland, Ontario, Canada

Support

Observation Template