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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

The first case of a walrus dying of bird flu registered on Svalbard
“Last year we got several reports from tourists and scientists that they saw around six walruses dead here on the west side of Svalbard. Unfortunately, we couldn’t sample them as the dead walruses drifted away by the time we got to the place. But it’s not normal to get so many reported dead walruses in such a small area," said Christian Lydersen, senior scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute. Now samples (collected by a Station Manager in July 2023) have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
The Independent Barents Observer

'Strange' bald eagle attacks at Kodiak harbor cause multiple injuries
Unusual aggressive bald eagle behavior, not linked to nest protection, leads to multiple injuries at Kodiak harbor, possibly due to eagles being fed by people.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

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.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Louisa Castrodale, Andrew Ramey, Racheal Lee, Susan Tessier, Joanna Barton, Gay Sheffield, Kimberlee Beckmen, January Frost, Sarah Yoder

Crow exibiting unusual behavior
The crow was on the beach hiding near a driftwood stump and was unable to fly and struggled to walk. These are signs associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) also commonly referred to as "bird flu". See video.
Whittier, Alaska, United States
Michael Opheim, Stephen Payton, Sarah Coburn, Margo Werner, Christy McDonald, Andrew Ramey, January Frost, Sarah Yoder, Andrew Ramey

Disappearing sand dunes and plovers
Sand dunes disappear with more frequent and powerful storms in Western Alaska. These storms have impacted bird nesting grounds and tundra plants.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States

Sea Gull Numbers are Extremely Low
Observers in Port Heiden, Alaska report significantly reduced sea gull populations and fewer gull eggs for subsistence, coinciding with decreased seal numbers and increased fox populations.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Jaime Welfelt, Robb Kaler, Jaclyn Christensen

Third person in US tests positive for bird flu in connection to outbreak in dairy cattle
A third person in the US has tested positive for bird flu linked to an outbreak in dairy cattle, indicating possible cow-to-human transmission.
Michigan, United States
CNN

Found all the newborn reindeer calves killed by eagles
Reindeer herder Risten Inga Eira reports all newborn calves in her district have been killed, highlighting increased predator attacks and the community's frustration with the rising eagle population.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
NRK

'There's no water': This duck hunter in Fort Smith, N.W.T., went out and found no ducks
A duck hunter in Fort Smith, N.W.T., found his usual hunting grounds dried up and devoid of wildlife due to recent wildfires and record-low water levels.
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Remnants of the bird flu virus have been found in pasteurized milk, the FDA says
The FDA found pasteurized milk containing inactive bird flu virus remnants from infected dairy cows, but maintains the milk supply is safe.
United States
NPR

Cows at two Texas dairy farms have bird flu, another blow to Cattle Country following wildfires
Cows at two Texas dairy farms have contracted bird flu, marking the first known instance of the disease in livestock, amidst recovery from devastating wildfires.
Lubbock, Texas, United States
The Texas Tribune

Huge Numbers of Redpolls
This winter large numbers of redpolls have been observed at bird feeders, from Fairbanks to Anchorage. ADFG reports that mass mortality events of redpolls have also been observed. ADFG advises homeowners not to handle dead or sick birds, and to prevent pets from coming in contact with them. Bird illness may be caused by a bacteria that could also affect people and pets.
Fox, Alaska, United States
Caroline Van Hemert, Gemini , Sarah Yoder, Kimberlee Beckmen, Richard L Thoman Jr, Louisa Castrodale

Minister Alarmed by Plastic Pollution on Eldey Island
The expedition revealed that gannets have easy access to plastic, as their nests are mostly made from plastic debris. Hundreds of dead gannets were also observed by the experts, with it being estimated that three factors played a role in their deaths: natural attrition, bird flu, and plastic pollution.
Eldey Island
Iceland Review

Mass deaths of elephant seals recorded as bird flu sweeps across the Antarctic
The virus was first reported among brown skua on Bird Island, off South Georgia. Since then, researchers and observers have reported mass deaths of elephant seals, as well as increased deaths of fur seals, kelp gulls and brown skua at several other sites. Researchers warn of one of ‘largest ecological disasters of modern times’ if the highly contagious disease reaches penguin colonies.
South Georgia, Sandwich Islands
the Guardian

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

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

Stanley declared a temporary control zone as first case of avian flu confirmed
Stanley, Falkland Islands, establishes a temporary control zone following the confirmation of its first avian flu case.
Stanley, Falkland Islands
Falklands Radio • Broadcasting news and entertainment to the Falkland Islands

Avian flu detected on poultry farm in Chilliwack, B.C.
The H5N1 strain of avian flu has been detected on a poultry farm in Chilliwack, British Columbia, marking the first confirmed case in the province this fall and prompting increased precautions among poultry farmers.
Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Highly pathogenic avian influenza confirmed in Pocahontas and Guthrie counties: No public health concern, says CDC
Two cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) have been confirmed in Pocahontas and Guthrie counties in Iowa, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there is no public health concern.
Iowa, United States
KGAN

Outbreak of avian flu on Hopen
There have been similar, even larger outbreaks of avian flue in seabird colonies in north Norway. In some cases, the losses were dramatic and major fractions of the colonies were wiped out. In Spitsbergen, avian flu was found for the first time in 2002, but the recent outbreak on Hopen is the largest one so far.
Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Spitzbergen | Svalbard

19 cases of avian flu identified in Dillingham
In Dillingham, Alaska, 19 cases of avian flu have been identified in common murres, with the virus still present in wild birds and genetic testing being conducted to determine if it is a new strain or a strain circulating in North America.
Dillingham, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Thousands of Utah turkeys die after being infected with avian flu in Sanpete County
Thousands of turkeys in Sanpete County, Utah, have died from highly pathogenic avian influenza, leading to the quarantine and depopulation of the affected farm, with concerns about the potential impact on turkey sales during the upcoming holiday season.
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
FOX 13 News Utah (KSTU)

Cambodia records 2nd death from H5N1 bird flu so far this year
A 50-year-old man in Cambodia has died from H5N1 bird flu, marking the second death from the virus in the country this year. Prior to his death about 50 chickens had died and were shared with neighbors to eat.
Cambodia

Rare Bird Flu Detected in Eagle and Eider Duck
Samples taken from a white-tailed eagle found dead on a skerry near Barðaströnd in the Westfjords in mid-September tested positive for a severe bird flu virus of the strain HPAI H4N5. An eider duck that was found dead in Ólafsfjörður, West Iceland recently was infected with the same strain of bird flu virus. The strain has not been detected in Iceland before and is not common.
Barðaströnd
Iceland Review

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Found in Seals on Marrowstone Island in Puget Sound
Three adult harbor seals in Puget Sound have tested positive for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 strain, marking the first incidence of HPAI in marine mammals on the West Coast, and officials are urging beachgoers to avoid contact with wildlife.
Marrowstone, Washington, United States
NOAA

Bird flu outbreak hits Barents Sea coast
Reports are coming in about hundreds of dead birds from Hammerfest in the west to Murmansk in the east. A zone with a radius of five kilometers is closed and guards are in place round-the-clock.
Vidyayevo, Murmansk, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Avian influenza outbreak in Finnmark: a natural and environmental disaster
Avian influenza has now been detected along the entire coast of Finnmark. In Vadsø, the disease has not yet been detected, but almost 800 dead birds have already been removed. See video.
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK

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