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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

Police kill brown bear believed responsible for vehicle damage
Two brown bears were killed in Haines last week, bringing the total killed outside hunting season in management unit 1D this year to 26. Bear calls to police have increased by about 600% compared to past years.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Bear activity persists despite early snow
Two bears were shot in the Haines Borough this past weekend, both by homeowners defending chickens. Although bear-related calls to the police dipped after last week’s record-setting snowfall, the recent activity suggests this year’s Bearpocalypse is not yet over.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Woman gets surprise bite while using outhouse
When he heard something had bitten his sister, Erik Stevens grabbed a light and went to investigate. "I shined the headlamp and opened the lid, and right there at the level of the toilet seat was a cinnamon-colored bear face, big enough to fill the hole."
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Bird flu confirmation prompts cull at 10 more fur farms
The Food Authority noted that it might be possible that foxes are more susceptible to avian flu infections than mink. However, the agency also suggested that infection prevention protocols may not have worked as well at fox farms compared to facilities that raise mink. The authority has now confirmed avian influenza cases at a total of 42 fur farms in Finland.
Laihia, Ostrobothnia, Finland
News

Elk swims to island in Finnish archipelago, first sighting in 40 years
An elk was spotted swimming to the island of Utö in the Finnish archipelago, marking the first sighting of the animal in 40 years.
Utö, Finland
News

Bird flu detected on Finnish fur farms for the first time
The exact virus type is still being determined, but measures are being taken to protect workers and prevent transmission to humans.
Kaustinen, Central Ostrobothnia, Finland
News

Bats plunge to ground in cold; saved by incubators, fluids
Some 1,600 bats found a temporary home this week in the attic of a Houston Humane Society director, but it wasn’t because they made it their roost. It was a temporary recovery space for the flying mammals after they lost their grip and plunged to the pavement after going into hypothermic shock during the city’s recent cold snap .
Houston, Texas, United States
AP NEWS

A warming island's mice are breeding out of control and eating seabirds. An extermination is planned
The past few decades have been the most significant for the damage the mice have caused, said Dr. Anton Wolfaardt, the Mouse-Free Marion project manager. He said their numbers have increased hugely, mainly due to rising temperatures from climate change, which has turned a cold, windswept island into a warmer, drier, more hospitable home.
Marian, Prince Edward Islands
AP News

Outside of Whitehorse, Yukon communities grapple with bear boom - Yukon News
'Officers have been going for two months straight with nothing but bear conflicts'
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Tick discovered in Yellowknife, being tested for Lyme disease
It appears ticks have made their way to Yellowknife - one of the blood-thirsty bugs was plucked off a dog over the weekend.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Yukon's wild sheep could be at risk of disease outbreak
The Yukon Fish and Game Association executive director believes it's just a matter of time before a disease outbreak, such as pneumonia, could spread from domestic sheep to wild Dall sheep.
Clinton, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

Deer covered in warts caught on camera
Fibromatosis is not a cause of deer mortality, according to officials, who added that the disease is not known to infect humans.
Pipestone, Minnesota, United States
Fox News

Fox attacks two dogs in Coral Harbor
Since November, six foxes and three dogs in Nunavut have been found to be infected with rabies. Wednesday’s fox attack brings the total to seven foxes and five dogs with likely rabies infections.
Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Natural anthrax killed 13 bison on farm in northern B.C.
The animals are thought to have contracted the disease from exposure to dormant anthrax spores in the soil of a feeding site on a farm. This is the first documented case of anthrax in livestock in B.C
Fort Saint John, British Columbia, Canada
680 NEWS

Foxes 'attack from nowhere' says Igloolik woman
She was then driven immediately to the hospital, where she got treatment for a potential rabies infection. Over the past month, there has been an increase in fox sightings and cases of rabies in foxes in the communities of Igloolik and Iqaluit. A fox was confirmed to have rabies in Igloolik on Dec. 14, while two foxes have been reported to have rabies in Iqaluit over the past five weeks.
Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Otters are mysteriously attacking people and dogs in Alaska's largest city: "Unusual behaviors"
Because of the risk to public safety, efforts will be made to locate this group of river otters and remove them, Fish and Game said.
University Lake
CBS News

First known epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in farmed mink
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) is a strain of the avian influenza virus that primarily affects birds, particularly poultry. It has been detected in farmed mink.
Galicia, Spain
News-Medical.net

Arctic Greenland is burning, hunters blinded by smoke
Smoke from a wildfire in southwestern Greenland is hampering the wild reindeer hunt on the Arctic island.
Nassuttooq Fjord, Greenland
ABC News

Smoke from unusual Greenland wildfire hampers reindeer hunt
Smoke from a wildfire in southwestern Greenland is hampering the wild reindeer hunt on the Arctic island, best known for its ice rather than burning grass and bushes.
Western Greenland
CBC News

Polar bear in Nunavik's northernmost community? No, it's a black bear.
Black bears typically stay near the treeline — but what was this guy doing so far up North, away from it?
Salluit, Nunavut, Canada

Male grizzly euthanized near Braeburn
Yukon conservation officers have euthanized a grizzly bear that was originally sighted near Braeburn.
Aishihik, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Alaska biologist report increased sighting of mink in Kodiak
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — Sightings of mink are increasing around Kodiak, Alaska wildlife biologists said of the animal — a species not native to the area. The first sighting was several years ago, the Kodiak Daily Mirror reported . Alaska Department of Fish and Game wildlife biologist John Crye said the sightings began after he got a call from an individual who was interested in raising and farming the animals.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
AP NEWS

Oxfam: Climate change deepening Horn of Africa's hunger crisis
Mogadishu, Banaadir, Somalia
Eyewitness News

What the swift collapse of some Labrador caribou can tell us about endangered species
It could have been a golden opportunity for research and harvesting, but government inaction led to total collapse of caribou on an island off Labrador.
George's Island, Labrador, Canada

Meet Nunavut's newest arrival: the beaver
A recent beaver catch in Baker Lake, along with this summer’s earlier beaver sighting near Kugluktuk, more than 1,000 kilometres northwest of Baker Lake, have some wondering whether beavers are expanding their range into Nunavut.
Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Attack by 'emaciated' grizzly injures man near B.C.-Yukon border
A hunter from B.C. is recovering from a bear mauling earlier this week. Conservation officers say the attack was predatory, meaning the bear wanted to eat the man.
Foothills SW of Cassir MTNS, British Columbia, Canada

Worries mount over what busy mining road in Nunavut could mean for caribou migration
The Kivalliq Inuit Association says a road connecting the Whale Tail pit project to the Meadowbank mine, near Baker Lake, will bisect a caribou migratory route and will have more frequent traffic than any other mine in Nunavut.
Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada

Rare white grizzly bear captured on camera in B.C. park
Named Nakoda by locals, the bear has been seen in Yoho and Banff national parks before, but not very often.
Global News

Farmers say government bleating over sheep disease concerns | Yukon News
Officials worry about the possible transmission of pathogens between domestic sheep and goats and wild thinhorns, an issue which has caused some tension among local farmers.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

A desperate plea for help as four African nations near a famine crisis
Somaliland villages
ABC News
CHRISTINE ROMO, DAVID MUIR, ENJOLI FRANCIS

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.
North Slope, Alaska, United States
Allied News

Elk population a headache for Yukon farmers
A 1990 elk management plan recommended 100 animals as a reasonable number, based on resources available for the animals, Cathers said. But that number has since ballooned, causing more agricultural conflicts. Part of the problem goes back to 2008, when elk wintered in fenced off enclosures after winter ticks were discovered.

Anchorage animal shelter pauses dog adoptions and surrenders due to highly contagious virus
Three young dogs were euthanized this week after testing positive for parvovirus, an Anchorage Animal Care and Control official said.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Whitehorse cougar evidence excites Yukon biologist
Environment Yukon's carnivore biologist is enthused about cougar sightings near Whitehorse, as tracks suggest the big cats are breeding in the territory.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

'Extremely slippery' hillsides likely cause of death for 3 Yukon bison
An unusual weather pattern throughout the winter caused a thick layer of ice on hillsides.
Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada

Cold weather means prime pelts for Yukon trappers
Trapping has its good years and bad years. After a few dismal ones the Yukon Trappers Association says the territory is finally seeing some prime pelts this year. It's all thanks to recent cold weather.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Deadly fungus threatens B.C.'s bats, biologist says
After a bat was found near Seattle with deadly White Nose Syndrome, a conservation group has teamed up with cave explorers to find out if B.C.'s bats are also affected. The White Nose fungus can kill 99 or even 100 percent of a population it infects.
Seattle, Washington, United States

63 bears destroyed in Yukon this year because of human conflict
The Yukon government crunched the numbers and confirmed that 2017 was a relatively bad year for human-bear conflicts in Yukon. It's estimated that more bears were killed this year than in any of the previous five years.

Parasite worms its way into Alberta, infecting humans through dogs, coyotes
University of Alberta scientists are alerting the public to a potentially lethal tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis which infects humans through the feces of coyotes and dogs.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Aggressive grizzly bear harasses Dempster Highway travellers
Conservation officers believe the same bear was involved in two recent encounters. The most recent involved a motorcyclist forced to back up by the approaching bear.
Dempster Highway (kilometres 230-270), Yukon Territory, Canada

Beavers on the tundra? Yukon biologists see the unexpected
Tom Jung and Dave Mossop were monitoring falcons on Yukon's Arctic coastal plain when they spotted a beaver dam, made of shrubs. 'This was a bit of a unique observation.'

'Hard to believe': Western Arctic community marvels at moose sighting
Community members in Paulatuk, N.W.T., captured rare images this week of two moose wading in the Arctic Ocean.
Paulatuk, Northwest Territories, Canada

Beavers on the tundra? Yukon biologists see the unexpected
Tom Jung and Dave Mossop were monitoring falcons on Yukon's Arctic coastal plain when they spotted a beaver dam, made of shrubs. 'This was a bit of a unique observation.'
Babbage River, Ivvavik National Park, YT, Canada

Yukon species list shows climate change in action
A big emphasis in the last few years has been updating and adding to the list of species known to occur in the Yukon.
This past year, a whopping 1,973 species of plants, insects and animals have been added.

Smoke from unusual Greenland wildfire hampers reindeer hunt
Smoke from a wildfire in southwestern Greenland is hampering the wild reindeer hunt on the Arctic island, best known for its ice rather than burning grass and bushes.
Nassuttooq Fjord, Greenland

Hunter killed by bear in Wrangell-St. Elias died in ‘surprise attack’ while field-dressing moose, officials say
The National Park Service said a 22-year-old Ohio man was salvaging moose meat when he was killed in the national park’s first recorded fatal bear mauling.
Wrangall St. Elias National Park, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Go back to bed! Early-riser bear spotted near Whitehorse
Wildlife officials typically tell Yukoners to keep an eye out for bears coming out of hibernation in April. 'We don't generally get sightings reported this time of year.'

Climate change draws beavers farther north, causing problems for Inuvialuit fishermen
Richard Gruben was planning to hunt wild geese near Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. Instead, the Inuvialuit hunter ended up harvesting an iconic rodent — his first ever.
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territory, Canada

Bighorn sheep in B.C. dying from domestic sheep pneumonia
A bighorn sheep herd in B.C.’s interior is in trouble after coming into contact with domestic sheep and the contagious disease they carry.
Chasm Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada

Alaska’s feline Bigfoot? Mountain lion sightings reported in Delta Junction
Biologists say they’ve been unable to confirm several reported sightings, including one from a resident who’s sure a cougar showed up in his yard.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Homer man survives bear attack
The man was walking his dogs on a well-used trail when he came across a sow with two cubs, a Fish and Game assistant area wildlife biologist said.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Mountain lion attacks man in hot tub at Colorado vacation rental
The man suffered four scratches to the top of his head and near his right ear, and declined medical assistance.
Nathrop, Colorado, United States

Black bear wandering around Kincaid Park in the middle of winter? Here’s why.
If high temperatures melt snow and that leads to a bear’s den getting flooded, that’s another reason the bear might head outside. It’ll likely try to find another den, Farley said.
Kinkaid Park

In Tanana, a lone wolf is taking sled dogs
“Right now the people who have dogs in their yards are very concerned. This is happening at night when it’s dark, so everybody is on edge.” - Tanana First Chief
Tanana, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Coyote bites another Stanley Park jogger a week after 4 of the animals put down
The BC Conservation Officer Service said the latest attack happened around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night, while a woman was jogging along the seawall.
West End, British Columbia, Canada
Global News

'Worst mice plague in decades' swarms across New South Wales as three hospital patients are bitten
Intensive baiting programmes have so far had little success against the infestation, and locals are hoping for heavy rain to drown the mice in their burrows.
Gilgandra, New South Wales, Australia
Sky News

Hunters seeing lower quotas for Fortymile, Nelchina caribou herds
08-03-22 In response to declining numbers of Fortymile and Nelchina caribou, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is taking a more conservative approach to both harvests this fall.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

As woody shrubs move north in a warming Arctic, so do beavers
Canadian researchers learned that local Inuvialuit hunters had spotted beavers in the region in 2008 and 2009. Those sightings are the first documented signs of North American beaver occupancy on the Beaufort coastal plain.
Babbage River, Yukon Territory, Canada
Alaska Dispatch News

Brown bear breaks into Alaska Zoo, kills alpaca named Caesar
The bear tunneled under the zoo’s perimeter fence and broke through the cedar split rail fence around the alpaca enclosure before killing Caesar, according to the zoo’s executive director, Pat Lampi. Another alpaca -- Fuzzy Charlie -- was found unhurt though wide-eyed and skittish.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

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.”
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Beaver dam outburst floods prompt effort to protect Richardson Highway
Alaska transportation officials believe there’s a low risk that anyone could be harmed in an outburst, but they say they’re acting swiftly to prevent another road closure.
Paxson, Alaska, United States

Snowmachiner watches wild dogs take down musk ox in Western Alaska
Patrick Jones, wildlife biologist for the state Department of Fish and Game, said he has heard of dogs killing moose, caribou and a days-old musk ox calf, but nothing like this attack.
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

River otters attack, injure family dog in Anchorage park
The dog’s owner waded waist-deep into Taku Lake and was bitten on his hand while pulling the husky-mix away from the river otters,.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Trash and a shortage of wild foods are creating a ‘perfect storm’ of bear trouble in Alaska cities
Black bears have taken over a Juneau arboretum, shut down a fish-cleaning facility in Cordova and added to an unusually high year of bear kills in Anchorage, prompting one wildlife authority to call this summer the "craziest" year of bear encounters he's seen.

Houston man injured in moose trampling outside his home
A Houston man was injured by a moose near his home, an unusual event linked to increased moose aggression due to harsh winter conditions.
Houston, Alaska, United States

State wildlife officials trying to revive Southwest Alaska caribou killed almost 100 brown bears in less than a month
A total of 94 brown bears, five black bears and five wolves were killed in the program that began May 10 and ended June 4, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said this week. That’s more than four times the number biologists predicted would be taken. State biologists also say disease and changing food supplies might be a bigger factor overall.
Dillingham, Alaska, United States

A coyote attracts attention in Anchorage
A Fish and Game biologist urges people to give the animals space.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever outbreak in Campinas, São Paulo State
The Ministry of Health confirms the occurrence of three deaths from Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in Campinas/São Paulo, referring to an outbreak in the municipality.
Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
Outbreak News Today

Wild pigs invade national park
One of the most destructive and rapidly spreading invasive species on the continent has been found for the first time in a Canadian national park.
Elk Island National Park
CTV News, Edmonton

River otter attacks 9-year-old boy at East Anchorage pond
“The fact that an otter attacked a person was certainly surprising,” said a wildlife biologist with Fish and Game, who added that it’s hard to know what the motivation behind the otter’s “unusual behavior” was.

Hunting restrictions on 2 Alaska caribou herds to take effect this summer
Restrictions on bag limits and season length will start July 1 for both the Western Arctic and Teshekpuk herds, whose numbers are dropping. Restrictions will affect both resident and nonresident hunters.
Northwest Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Black bear injures Juneau man after following him through open door
With few fish and limited berries, bear encounters are high in Alaska's capital city this year.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

Southwest Alaska village ‘on edge’ after fox and dog test positive for rabies
Adding to the concerns are stories of increasingly aggressive foxes in Marshall and other villages. It appears to be a strong year for the fox population, a state biologist said. Marshall is shooting stray dogs to protect village residents.
Marshall, Alaska, United States

Western Arctic Caribou Herd shrank more in 2022, hurting Northwest Arctic subsistence hunters
Biologists struggle to single out a leading cause of the caribou population’s decline. Increased wolf predation, changed migration patterns and climate warming affecting food sources can all influence the herd. “It’s going to be another rough winter again this year without caribou,” Selawik resident Norma Ballot said.
Selawik, Alaska, United States

First the rabbits disappeared. Now Seward’s coyotes are killing dogs.
Coyotes have killed at least three dogs in Seward, and police are trying to trap the predators before they get more.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Man mauled by bear off Richardson Highway near Gulkana in Southcentral Alaska
The 61-year-old man was flown to an Anchorage hospital for treatment of his injuries, troopers said.
Gulkana, Alaska, United States

Cougars in Alaska, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Alaska is considered to be outside the range of cougars (also called mountain lions and panthers), but with cougar populations increasing in many western states and Canada, that could change.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Alaska Fish & Wildlife News

Man mauled by bear while backcountry skiing in Southeast Alaska
The man was injured on his face and hands. Two members in the skiers party assisted with his injuries and communicate for help in 15 degree temperatures with sunset approaching. It was not immediately clear what triggered the mauling about 10 miles northwest of Haines.

‘It was so unfazed by me’: Woman recounts slobber-covered cat’s encounter with wolverine
Lenny didn’t have a wound on him but hasn’t been the same since, his owner says.

What has happened to our Chugach Dall sheep?
Is climate change reducing the quantity and quality of Alaska's Dall sheep habitat? That's the hypothesis being tested by two researchers.
Nelchina Glacier, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

'Really odd': 2 fatal maulings in 2 days by Alaska black bears
Experts say brown or grizzly bears attack and kill people far more often in Alaska than black bears. Authorities say black bears killed a 16-year-old runner at Bird Ridge over the weekend and a Pogo Mine contractor Monday.
Pogo Mine, Alaska, United States

Explosion of Deadly Ticks Fueled by Climate Change, Ravaging Moose, Infecting People and Pets
EnviroNews Exclusive: Warmer, shorter winters due to climate change are a boon for the ticks that harm people, their pets and wildlife, scientists told EnviroNews in a series of exclusive interviews for this report. A walk in the woods can be refreshing, fun and good exercise.
Canada-United States, North America
EnviroNews DC News Bureau

Deadly lightning kills more than 300 reindeer in Norway
More than 300 wild reindeer have been killed by lightning in central Norway.
Hardangervidda mountain plateau, Norway

A lynx, a toddler and a bizarre encounter in an Anchorage Hillside driveway
A wildlife biologist believes a lynx that recently approached a young girl may have been a juvenile. The girl’s father said he’s now on higher alert after the encounter.

A rat was found dead on St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea. Here’s why that’s a big deal.
The Bering Sea island is breeding habitat for millions of seabirds, including rare migratory species. A “strike team” had been searching for the rogue rat for 10 months.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States

A bear walked into the Anchorage airport post office and wouldn’t leave. Police shot it.
The bear got into the facility through a door trucks use to access the building, a USPS spokeswoman said.

Western Arctic caribou migration returns to traditional route past Northwest villages
With caribou herds in decline and migration patterns swaying in recent years, news that caribou are following a more traditional migration route near Kivalina and Noatak caused a buzz this fall.
Northwest Alaska, United States

Kodiak rancher says bears have killed 30 head of cattle this year
Chris Flickinger says the number of animals killed by bears is way above average, causing a sizable financial loss.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States

Nearly 4 times more bears were shot dead this year in Anchorage than in 2016
Half the bears were killed by people who said they were defending their lives or property. The other half were killed by police, park rangers or wildlife biologists.

These brown bears should be hibernating, but they’re raiding trash in Eagle River instead
The bears won’t hibernate if food remains available, so the continued availability of trash in the area has created a dangerous situation, biologists say.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Wasilla store contends with ‘large-scale’ rodent problem
Fred Meyer is employing an aggressive pest-control plan after customers spotted mice in the store through Southcentral Alaska’s unusually warm summer.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Unusual sighting: mule deer in Interior Alaska
FAIRBANKS — Michael Houx was driving Tuesday evening between Eielson Air Force Base and Salcha when he saw an animal that he at first thought was a caribou.
Salcha, Alaska, United States
FairbanksDaily News-Miner

Dwindling spring snowpack could be a troubling sign for Alaska wolverines
The elusive animals use snow caves to give birth and nurture their young. Just how much spring snow they need is not yet known.
Northwest Alaska, United States

State checks dead mule deer near North Pole for dreaded parasite
Alaska Department of Fish and Game seeks the public's help in determining the date that an exotic deer died near North Pole.
North Pole, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Black bear family roaming Anchorage neighborhood
A family of five black bears is roaming an Alaska neighborhood, toppling trash cans as the group rummages for food and scaring some residents who believe the animals are the same ones seen in the area last summer.

Sightings of large cat, possibly a cougar, reported near Ketchikan
Mountain lion sightings have been reported in far Southeast Alaska for years, and one sighting has been confirmed.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

Threat of moose-killing tick infestation looms as far-north climate warms
In New England where ticks have decimated moose, the average tick load is 40,000, and some have been found with 90,000.

Shooting of bear highlights ‘infestation’ in Cordova after poor salmon returns
Residents speculate the black bears are venturing into town because they're hungry, after a poor run of pink salmon and rainy weather that hurt the abundance of berries, limiting food for the animals.
Cordova, Alaska, United States

Volunteers needed to monitor bats
Millions of bats in the Eastern US and the Midwest have died from white nose syndrome disease, and it’s spreading.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Alaska Fish & Wildlife News

Black bears are waking up in Anchorage. Here’s how to get your yard and home ready.
“If black bears are starting to stir, brown bears could be, too,” a state Fish and Game official said.

Man killed, member of search party injured in Eagle River bear attacks
Michael Soltis’ death is the second fatal bear attack in the Anchorage municipality in two summers.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States
Michelle Theriault Boots, ADN - Matt Tunseth, Alaska Star

In the Alaska Arctic, more rain may mean fewer musk oxen
Winter rain makes it more difficult for the animals to feed, particularly pregnant females, researchers found.
Wrangel Island

Reindeer shrink in Arctic as their environment changes
The average weight of adult reindeer on Svalbard, north of Norway, has fallen to 106 pounds from 121 pounds in the 1990s
Norwegian Archipelago, Svalbard, Norway

Dozens of dead caribou found on remote Nunavut island
When a scientist went to an uninhabited island in Nunavut to set up a research station he stumbled across something else: dozens of dead caribou.
Prince Charles Island, Nunavut, Canada

Coyotes infected with mange are being confused for ‘zombie’ dogs
Coyotes infected with sarcoptic mange have been mistaken for "zombie" dogs near Chicago IL police say. Coyotes also prevalent in Southern Illinois.
Hanover Park, Illinois, United States
Belleville News Democrat

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

Coyotes are everywhere, even in Alaska
Department biologists do not keep track of coyote numbers, but Fairbanks-area trapper Randy Zarnke said coyotes began showing up on his trapline trails three or four years ago.
College, Alaska, United States

Scientists have unlocked 1 secret to Arctic ground squirrels deep-freeze - and that could be a big deal for humans.
An enzyme protects squirrels during and after hibernation, and something similar could help people whose hearts shut down, a new study finds.
Alaska, United States

Fur loss, oozing sores observed in Arctic Alaska polar bears
The Far North's iconic polar bear appears to have joined the list of Arctic species afflicted with a mystery illness that causes hair loss, lesions and oozing sores. Six in Barrow and three in Kaktovik.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Mule Deer Found Dead Raises Questions
Winter tick has been found in over 50 percent of the mule deer examined by wildlife officials in the Whitehorse area and is also found on moose, caribou, and elk in the Yukon
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Alaska Fish and Wildlife News

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.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Coyote tapeworm in Alberta: 5th human case reported
A relatively rare tapeworm has popped up in several patients in Alberta, Canada in the past few years, which may not sound like much; however, the only other human case in Canada was in 1928 in Manitoba. The parasite is called Echinococcus multilocularis and it appearance in Alberta has caught the attention of some infectious …
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Outbreak News Today

As sea ice gets scarcer, polar bear attacks on people become more frequent
More polar bears on land have been encountering more people in the Arctic, a perfect storm of dangerous conditions, one scientist says.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

Sitka-based trooper kills brown bear chasing his dog
The 400-pound young boar attacked the 6-month-old puppy Wednesday morning, according to troopers and state biologists.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Alberta confirms 5 cases of avian flu spreading to mammals
"We had an unusually large number of calls about skunks that were acting strange or being found dead and it was all within the area where we had confirmed that the avian influenza virus was present in the snow geese," Dr. Margo Pybus, a provincial wildlife disease specialist with Fish and Wildlife Alberta Environment and Parks, said. "We believe that the skunks are feeding on the dead geese and they are getting enough virus that it’s actually affecting the skunks."
Innisfail, Alberta, Canada
Global News

Climate change: Lapland reindeer gone astray in search for food
Herders are struggling to find thousands of reindeer that have run away in search of food. "We are driving for hours and hours to locate our reindeers and to herd them back, but it has been very difficult in these wintry conditions. So, we are also using helicopters and this is very unusual - and very expensive too."
Muonio, Lapland, Finland
BBC News

Canada's AG warns Nunavut about dangers of not having a climate change action plan
Nunavut is not prepared to deal with the impacts of climate change and doesn't have a plan to deal with them, according to the latest report by Canada's auditor general.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

3rd and 4th known cases of ‘Alaskapox’ — both mild — were recently diagnosed in the Fairbanks area
How the virus is contracted and how long it’s been around still remain a mystery. But researchers have found evidence in small mammals.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

An opossum’s arrival in Homer spurs capture efforts, memes and a campaign to #FreeGrubby
Alaska does not have opossums, but as of last month Homer had at least one. The mammal, considered an invasive species in Alaska, turned up in a shipping container from Washington state. It later escaped ingniting a flurry of opinions on the fate of this unusual visitor.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Heavy snow in Interior Alaska this winter has bison hanging out on plowed roads and digging up farmland
Bulldozer crews have cleared trails and fields for the bison in hopes of reducing the danger of collisions and damaged fields. There's a layer of ice up to two inches thick within the snowpack that has further complicated foraging.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

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