LEO Network

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

Winemakers getting bitter taste of climate change
As grape harvest time nears across Greece, winemakers are worried about the impact on output from a succession of extreme weather events.
Greece
eKathimerini.com

Earthworm species may be native to Interior Alaska
A Fairbanks high school student has discovered five species of earthworms in Interior Alaska, including one possibly native to North America.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
UAF news and information

Gulf of Finland's low blue-green algae levels this summer 'gives us hope'
The scientist noted that the amount of phosphorus, which is essential for cyanobacterial growth, in the Gulf has dropped by around 60 percent compared to their worst, peak levels.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Flooding in Finland is getting worse, new climate report says
Pori and Rovaniemi are among the areas to be worst affected in the coming decades, the Finnish Climate Change Panel warned in a new report.
Finland
Yle Uutiset

Alaska’s most prominent permafrost cliff is one of a kind
Called yedomas in Russia, the mounds of land are much more populous there.
Itkillik River
Anchorage Daily News

Chronic wasting disease ravaging deer population near South Saskatchewan River
CWD was first recorded in Saskatchewan in 1996 on a game farm, but has since moved into the wild deer, elk and moose populations, with wildfire-like infection rates in some areas. Up to 70 per cent of male deer are infected with the fatal disease, says a wildlife health specialist.
South Saskatchewan River
CBC

Scientists of "Beringia" came close to explaining the mystery of "smelly" whales in Chukotka
The specific "medical" smell of whale meat may be caused by liver disease or the animals' diet. Chukchi Sea hunters began noticing the pungent, unpleasant smell in some whales about 20 years ago. Recently, the number of stinky whales has increased. Scientists with Beringia National Park analyzed the isotopic composition in 46 samples of gray whales. “Stinky” whales had significantly lower levels of heavy nitrogen. Scientists still must understand whether this is a result of liver disease or a diet based on algae. Scientists hope to study more high-quality samples of “stinky” whales.
Chukotka

Alaska wildlife officials on the lookout for new, deadlier bird flu
This strain does not seem to pose a serious risk to people but there's concern for backyard flocks and the wild birds that are a food source for many Alaskans.
Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Prevalence of serum antibodies to Coxiella burnetii in Alaska Native Persons from the Pribilof Islands
Q fever is a febrile illness caused by infection with the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. It is most often transmitted by inhalation of the bacteria after it is shed by infected livestock. The antibody prevalence in NFS samples from 2009 and 2011 (69%) was significantly higher than in 1994 (49%). The antibody prevalence of SSL samples from 2007 to 2011 was 59%. All NFS vaginal swabs were negative for C. burnetii, despite an 80% antibody prevalence in the matched sera. The significant increase in antibody prevalence in NFS from 1994 to 2011 suggests that the pathogen may be increasingly common or that there is marked temporal variation within the vulnerable NFS population.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
PubMed Central (PMC)

Gray whale numbers along North America's west coast down nearly 40 percent since 2016
The number of gray whales migrating along the Pacific Coast of North America has steadily declined by nearly 40 percent from a 2016 peak, and the population produced its fewest calves on record this year, according to U.S. research released on Friday.
Los Angeles, California, United States
ArcticToday

AFN delegates push for measures to decrease salmon bycatch
Two resolutions brought before the Alaska Federation of Natives during this year’s annual convention called for efforts to reduce salmon bycatch for fish that return to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers.
Eagle, Alaska, United States
KDLG

Warmer, wetter, stormier climate brings typhoons, fires and more rain to the Arctic Indigenous people, report finds
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
The Arctic Sounder

The bottom of the Bering and Chukchi seas could become too warm for some important species
There is danger lurking on the floor of the Bering and Chukchi seas for mussels, snails, clams, worms and other cold-water invertebrates, according to a new study led by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists.
Bering Sea
Anchorage Daily News

As beavers gain foothold in Arctic Alaska, some see benefits in how they reshape the landscape
Beavers, on the other hand, leave a mark on the landscape that you can sometimes see from space.Swarming ponds, building dams and expanding waterways, beavers are moving farther and farther into the Arctic, and are changing what the region looks like.
Ambler, Alaska, United States

New estimate for Cook Inlet belugas shows ‘glimmer of hope’ for endangered population
The number of endangered beluga whales in Alaska’s Cook Inlet increased slightly the past four years, according to a new estimate by federal biologists.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Even frozen Antarctica is being walloped by climate extremes, scientists find
A new study concludes that Antarctica is already being and will continue to be affected by more frequent and severe extreme weather events, a known byproduct of human-caused climate change.
McMurdo Station, , Antarctica
AP News

‘The worst year ever’: Lost Lake runners endure nearly 16 miles of rain, mud
Around 600 competitors faced what the race director called the wettest edition of the race in its 32 years. The impact on competitors, a grueling race. The impact on the trails - mud, erosion and more mud.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Fish and Game: Tapeworm 'common' in Alaskan salmon
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported larva of Japanese broad tapeworm has been detected in wild pink salmon from Alaska, the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game says the discovery is nothing new.
Alaska, United States

Bering Sea crab surveys show populations still low a year after marquee Alaska harvests closed
A year after the closure of the Bering Sea crab harvests in Alaska, surveys show that crab populations are still low, raising doubts about future harvest prospects and suggesting that continued closures may be necessary.
Southeast Bering Sea, Alaska
Alaska Public Media

Worsening warming is hurting people in all regions, US climate assessment shows
The National Climate Assessment was released Tuesday with details that bring climate change’s impacts down to a local level.
Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., United States
AP News

The Science of landslide risk
"Talk of Alaska discusses the science behind landslide risk and early warning systems in the wake of Wrangell's third deadly landslide since 2015."
Wrangell, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

‘Snakeworm’ mystery in Alaska yields species new to science
The snakeworm gnat larvae move in columns, possibly to frighten predators and to keep their fragile bodies moist when crossing dry ground.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

In Hawaii, coral is the foundation of life. What happened to it after the Lahaina wildfire?
A deadly wildfire burned more than 2,000 buildings in the Hawaiian town of Lahaina on Maui in August and left behind piles of toxic debris.
Lahaina, Hawaii, United States
AP News

Anchorage sets new record for getting an inch of snow this late in the season
Yes, the city's official measuring station has recorded later snowfalls — but none that come in at an inch or more.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Reindeer Have to Eat Up to Survive the Winter
Arctic biologists use 25 years of data to find that warmer autumns might be enough to increase the odds of reindeer’s winter survival on Svalbard.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Eos

Beach Road residents must reckon with long-term risk of living under Mount Riley
As geoscientists learn more about the Beach Road slide and the geology of Mount Riley, area residents aren't expecting to reach their homes until
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

European Green Crab: Will they be the next aquatic invasive species in Alaska?
As ocean temperatures trend warmer than average, green crab larvae dispersed in ocean currents from more southern latitudes will find more suitable habitat along the Alaska coast. Recently, adult green crabs have been detected in Skidegate Inlet on Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, and larval crabs have been found in Prince Rupert, both less than 100 miles south of Ketchikan.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Western Canada heat wave accelerates rate of glacier melt, experts say
Because the heat coincided with the summer solstice, when the northern hemisphere gets “maximum energy” from the sun, "it was really kind of a one-two punch.”
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

An Anchorage man spent more than a decade planning and building a micro-hydropower project in his backyard. Now, it can power more than 300 homes.
“This sort of became my purpose in life, to make something for my children and for humanity going forward,” said Dave Brailey, the mastermind behind the Juniper Creek Hydroelectric Project.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Climate change threatening Indigenous ways of life
Cecelia Brooks remembers a time when the deep forest of New Brunswick was so cold, snow could still be found in its depths in August. That rarely happens anymore. Brooks, who lives on St. Mary's First Nation in Fredericton, is one of many Indigenous people in the Wabanaki region who say climate change is threatening traditional plants and medicines. Those changes, Brooks says, could alter their way of life.
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
CBC

Observed Evidence of Changing Forests:Testimonial for the Status of Tribes and Climate Change Report
The Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Tribes and Climate Change Program is publishing a report called the Status of Tribes and Climate C...
Spokane, Washington, United States
YouTube

Steller’s Sea Cow and Their Not So Stellar Demise
This study examines another mechanism of human impact on large species. If humans hunted a keystone species to a certain tipping point or extinction, they may have indirectly triggered a collapse of a complex ecosystem, leading to a chain reaction resulting in the extinction of other species. Since it is difficult to study ecosystems that existed thousands of years ago, the authors researched a more recent megafauna extinction event of the Steller’s sea cow in the mid-1700s, for which a few in person observations from Georg Steller exist.
Commander Islands
Oceanbites

Rabies Outbreak in Western Alaska
Arctic fox rabies is enzootic in populations of arctic and red fox populations along Alaska’s northern and western coasts. This means rabies is always present in these populations at some low level but periodically there can be outbreaks called epizootics (an outbreak in animal disease rather than an epidemic as is it is called when occurring in a human population). However, the winter of 2020-2021 ushered in a widespread outbreak with persistent and large focus in and around Nome.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Alaska Fish and Wildlife News

Colorado ptarmigan populations holding steady
Populations of southern white-tailed ptarmigan, an iconic yet well-camouflaged and easily overlooked bird of Colorado’s alpine regions, appear to be holding steady. But long-term concerns about its future remain in a warming world with growing numbers of people recreating in the state’s fragile alpine ecosystems.
Colorado, United States
Vail Daily

Alaska governor sends more salmon to Yukon River communities
Gov. Mike Dunleavy lauded the partnerships with Alaska businesses and “tremendous team effort to get salmon into the hands of our fellow Alaskans in need."
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Trans Mountain Pipeline
Trans Mountain pipeline expansion would effectively triple existing capacity, and in turn increase oil tanker traffic in B.C. coastal waters.
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

Alaska U.S. senators propose task force to gain better understanding of salmon declines
Alaska tribes and groups representing Bering Strait communities has filed an emergency petition with the U.S. secretary of commerce to eliminate chinook salmon bycatch and cap chum catch. The task force of up to 19 people would conduct a comprehensive review of salmon management in Alaska.

Mercury levels in Stellar sea lion pups are rising. Researchers look to the past to find out why
A new research project is building a timeline of mercury levels in the Aleutian Islands over the last few thousand years.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Food shipments arrive in Clyde River after reports of bare shelves
Several shipments of food made it into Clyde River, Nunavut, this week after delays due to weather. It's just the latest in a series of problems in the community that's been battered by weather since late January.
Clyde River, Nunavut, Canada
CBC

Scientists present theories for deer decline at Prince of Wales Island deer summit
For years, populations of Sitka black-tail deer have slumped, leaving residents without a staple source of protein. A three-day summit held in Craig last month prompted lengthy discussions about the problem. When loggers cut down a section of old growth Sitka spruce, hemlock and cedar in the Tongass National Forest, there’s no need to replant — trees grow back on their own. It’s what scientists call an “even-aged forest.” When trees all start growing at the same time, they create a dense canopy that prevents light from reaching the ferns and berry bushes that black-tail deer love to snack on. And because the trees grow close together, they end up long and spindly — not the massive, thick, tight-grained trunks that make old growth lumber so highly valued.
Craig, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Starving seabirds on Alaska coast show climate change peril
The seabirds are struggling because of climate-linked ecosystem shifts — which can affect the supply and the timing of available food — as well as a harmful algal bloom and a viral outbreak in the region, she said. And their peril jeopardizes the human communities, as well: "Birds are essential to our region — they are nutritionally and economically essential," said Sheffield.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Worms can be the cause of the appearance of stench in the meat of whales in Chukotka
Marine hunters of eastern Chukotka often encounter "stinky" whales whose meat is unsuitable for food. The situation has become a problem for local residents. Researchers from Moscow State University and the Beringia National Park believe they have found the causes of an unpleasant odor in animals.
Lavrentiya, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
goarctic.ru

On the Yukon, Alaska and Canada are bound together by salmon – and their collapse
A 20-year-old treaty keeps Alaska and Canada working together, even through the devastating king and chum salmon collapse.
Yukon River

Yellowknife wildfire flares up in areas but is still being 'held,' officials say
As of Tuesday, the fire which prompted the evacuation of the city two weeks ago was still 15 kilometres west of Yellowknife. Fire officials declared the fire as "being held" on Monday. According to N.W.T. Fire information officer, it's still unsafe to bring back the bulk of the residents to Yellowknife.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

New wind turbine installed on Kluane Lake expected to cut diesel use by nearly 50%
The Kluane First Nation in Yukon is leaning into alternative energy. The nation has a new wind turbine towering over Kluane Lake with biofuel and solar energy projects also in the works. The wind turbine is expected to generate power for the residents of Burwash Landing by spring.
Burwash Landing, Yukon, Canada

FEMA is making sweeping changes, but they’ve come too late for Typhoon Merbok survivors
Homes, fish camps, and destroyed subsistence gear that haven’t already been repaired or replaced still won’t qualify for individual assistance under new policies that take effect in March 2024.
Chevak, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Snowzilla returns to Airport Heights after 10-year hiatus
The behemoth snowman that stole Anchorage’s heart years ago is back — as big as always, and looking friendlier than ever.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

The tropical disease that everywhere - Dengue Fever
Dengue is erupting in South America — and has even found its way to the US.
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Alaskapox no more: Newly discovered disease and virus renamed ‘borealpox’
The disease and virus likely exist well beyond the state’s borders, making the new name more scientifically accurate, officials say.
Alaska, United States

As lower Kuskokwim River breaks up, Bethel sees highest river gauge level in almost 20 years
Amid the highest water levels seen since 2005, the city urges residents to be prepared for things to get worse.
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Microbes fueled by wind-blown mineral dust melt the Greenland ice sheet
Scientists have identified a key nutrient source used by algae living on melting ice surfaces linked to rising sea levels. They discovered that phosphorus containing minerals may be driving ever-larger algal blooms on the Greenland Ice Sheet.
Greenland
EurekAlert!

Ultra-rare whale washed up off Florida is a new species, scientists say
The animal was until now called a Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whale. The species is considered the region’s only baleen whale, known for comb-like plates in their mouths that strain food in lieu of teeth.The new name designation awaits recognition from a committee, in a process similar to peer review. Scientists have suggested calling the animal the Rice’s whale, after Dale Rice, a biologist who first recognized them in the gulf.
Tampa Bay Times

Donated salmon gets shipped to the communities on the Yukon
Three charters flew to distribute 10,921 pounds of donated king salmon to Bush and rural Alaska communities.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Lake Superior Summer: Blue-green algal blooms come to a lake once believed immune
As the deepest and most northern of the Great Lakes, Superior was once thought immune to algal blooms, which is why it was such a shock when the first report of blue-green algae came in 2012.
Lake Superior
Great Lakes Now

‘The economy of the Lower Yukon is gone’
Second of three parts: As salmon stocks have crashed on the Yukon River, so has a key source of income in fish-dependent communities.
Emmonak, Alaska, United States

Climate change worries Finland's young reindeer herders
Ida Wessman, 28, bought her family's herd of reindeer after her father passed away five years ago. "It's been going pretty well. With this industry you've got high points and low points," Wessman said, alluding to severe 2019-2020 weather that killed 15,000 of the animals.
Northern Finland
Yle Uutiset

How might the world meet its clean energy needs
Sixteen miles (26km) off the windswept coast of northern Scotland, the future of renewable energy is taking shape. Rotating rhythmically in the breeze, the five colossal turbines of the Hywind Scotland wind farm look much like any other off-shore wind project, bar one major difference – they're floating.
BBC

As the number of electric vehicles grows in Alaska, a charging station corridor is in the works
By summer, the heart of Alaska’s road system will feature a string of fast-charging stations between Fairbanks and the Kenai Peninsula.

Flood risk higher due to rising freezing levels and rain melting snowpack
Weather systems that carry warm air inland, bringing not just rain, but also pushing up freezing levels, causing rapid snowpack melting. The atmospheric river hitting B.C.'s central coast will also pose a risk in the Interior.
Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
Castanet

More shrubs means way more moose in western Alaska
Fall moose hunts are beginning across Alaska. In western parts of the state, biologists hope that hunting pressure will help protect the health of booming populations. They also want to know why there are so many moose in the first place. It may have a lot to do with shrubs — particularly scrubby willows shooting up at the edges of open tundra. Moose feast on their leaves during the spring and summer. These short woody plants are spreading west, aided by climate change, and moose populations are expanding along with them.
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Video probes methane emissions from Siberian sinkholes
Are the newly found sinkholes really new or are they just newly discovered? And how much of a concern at this point?
Yamal Peninsula, Russia
Yale Climate Connections

The great goose die-off
Scientists determine geese died due to exhaustion and salt-poisoning. More birds end up dying because of the long flights they undertake, in extreme conditions.
Cambridge Bay
NUNAVUT NEWS

Arctic Lakes Are Disappearing Fast, and Scientists Are Just Figuring Out Why
Recently, however, scientists have observed not just shrinking lakes but lakes that have completely gone away. A paper published this year in Nature Climate Change, based on satellite imagery, found widespread lake loss across the Arctic over the past 20 years.
Arctic Alaska
Scientific American

Threatened listing proposed for sunflower sea star after population devastated by wasting disease
It causes legs to fall off and, ultimately, results in disintegration of the animals’ bodies. Climate change may be behind that disease, as the arrival of Pacific marine heat waves coincided with the disease outbreak, according to federal biologists.The sea star, with a range from Baja California to the Aleutians, would be the first sea star with an Endangered Species Act listing.
Gulf of Alaska

Residents speak against reducing caribou harvest limits
Residents and Fish and Game present ideas and opinions around Northwest Caribou population and hunting regulations and restrictions. .
Ambler, Alaska, United States

Citizen observers help scientists predict breakup flooding
As Alaska faces an increased risk of spring breakup flooding this year, scientists are asking residents to share photos documenting major rivers’ progress from ice to water to help them predict with more accuracy where flooding might occur.
Tanana, Alaska, United States

UN nuclear agency chief to visit Fukushima plant to see final preparations for release of wastewater
The chief of the U.N. nuclear agency will visit Japan next week to meet with officials and see final preparations for the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.
Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan

TOTE Maritime Alaska is now powering its ships with natural gas, cutting carbon and other pollutants
The company says it's the first in the world to convert a full fleet to run on the most environmentally friendly fuel available.
Tacoma, Washington, United States

Arctic climate science ‘broken’ as US, Europe isolate Russia
Arctic climate science has been severely disrupted by the war in Ukraine, as US and European countries isolate Russia, leading to suspended funding, limited communication, and a fractured Arctic Council, hindering efforts to mitigate global warming and understand its dynamics.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia

As effort to restore Eklutna River inches toward decision, disagreements remain over how far plan should go
Disagreements persist over the extent of the restoration plan for the Eklutna River in Alaska, with utilities arguing that a replacement dam would be costly and increase electric rates, while proponents of the plan believe it would benefit the public interest by boosting local fishing and tourism and improving the ecosystem.
Eklutna, Alaska, United States

As Russia’s Permafrost Thaws, Ancient Pathogens Risk Re-Awakening
Ancient pathogens that have been preserved in northern Russia’s permafrost for millennia could reawaken as global temperatures rise, scientists warn, potentially putting humanity at risk of never-before-seen diseases.
Khatanga, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
The Moscow Times

There's a crisis in the Yukon River
When Jody Potts-Joseph was growing up, her family mushed sled dogs during the harsh Alaskan winters to hunt and trap, feeding them salmon caught from the Yukon River by the thousands. But after rebuilding her sled dog team as an adult, Potts-Joseph, a member of the Han Gwich'in tribe, had to turn to store-bought dog food. The river that was once renowned for its salmon doesn't have enough to offer anymore.
Eagle, Alaska, United States
Yahoo News

Are birch trees dropping more bio-bits on Anchorage this year?
Garden writer Jeff Lowenfels asks whether there is more matter falling from birch trees late this summer than in previous years,

Climate-fuelled wildfires testing the limits of Canada's aging water bombers
A summer of devastating wildfires that burned huge swaths of the N.W.T. and forced countless communities across the country to evacuate has some experts questioning whether Canada is equipped for hotter, more intense fire seasons.
Canada

The proof is in the paw print: how researchers are monitoring polar bear populations
Researchers have developed a non-invasive method to monitor polar bear and lynx populations by extracting environmental DNA from their paw prints in the snow, offering a safer and potentially more informative alternative to traditional tracking methods.
BioTechniques

In Newtok, decades of erosion have finally caught up to the school
Newtok's school faces demolition due to severe riverbank erosion, as the community grapples with climate-induced relocation challenges.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
KYUK

‘Rock flour’: The unassuming material that could soak up carbon emissions
Researchers want to use the ultrafine rock particles left by eroding glaciers to suck climate-warming carbon from the air.
Nuuk, Sermersooq, Greenland

Weak winds in the Pacific drove record-breaking 2019 summertime marine heat wave
Weakened wind patterns likely spurred the wave of extreme ocean heat that swept the North Pacific last summer, according to new research led by the University of Colorado Boulder and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. The marine heat wave, named the "Blob 2.0" after 2013's "Blob"; likely damaged marine ecosystems and hurt coastal fisheries. Waters off the U.S. West Coast were a record-breaking 4.5 degrees F (2.5 degrees C) above normal, the authors found.

Several drownings reported during Northwest heat wave
Several people have drowned or been reported missing after swimming in Pacific Northwest bodies of water during the record-breaking heat wave in the past few days.
Bellingham, Washington, United States
Bellingham Herald

'The bottom has just dropped out': As insect populations plummet, scientists wonder why
Back at his Spokane home, McCrea looked around. No bugs on the lights there either. No frogs in the pond. Only one bumblebee was buzzing against a porch light – and at an odd hour, around 10 p.m. that night.
Spokane, Washington, United States
Spokesman.com

Africa's most populous city is battling floods and rising seas. It may soon be unlivable, experts warn
Cars and houses submerged in water, commuters wading through buses knee-high in floods, and homeowners counting the cost of destroyed properties.
Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
CNN

Vast wildfires in Russia's Yakutia have already set an emissions record
MOSCOW — Summer wildfires have already produced a record amount of carbon emissions in Russia’s Siberian region of Yakutia, with still more weeks of the fire season to come, according to the European Union’s Copernicus satellite monitoring unit. Environmentalists fear the fires, fuelled by hot weather, may thaw Siberian permafrost and peatlands, releasing even more
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
ArcticToday

One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization for Multisectoral Engagement in Alaska

Alaska Gov. Dunleavy wants to transplant deer into the Mat-Su for hunters. State biologists say the project is likely to fail.
A proposal to relocate Sitka black-tailed deer into areas crisscrossed with roads, farms and established wildlife populations may ultimately cause more problems than it’s worth, says an internal report from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

2021 'amazing' record low year for fires in Yellowknife
Heading into the end of 2021, Yellowknife’s deputy fire chief is celebrating a record low number, three, of structure fires in the city this year.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Russia’s Arctic coast loses 7,000 hectares annually due to climate changes
A new study conducted at the Moscow State University confirms that the Arctic permafrost along the country’s northern coastline is thawing at terrifying speeds.
Dikson, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

As Bering Sea ice melts, Alaskans, scientists and Seattle’s fishing fleet witness changes ‘on a massive scale’
Researchers now are uncertain when and to what extent the ice may return, and have scrambled to better understand the consequences of back-to-back years of its loss.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States

Research project aims to spread reflective beads on Arctic ice to slow climate warming
Communities and conservation groups have raised concerns about the project. Researchers said they won’t move forward with field testing until it’s deemed safe.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States

New wave of Kenai Peninsula fishery closures takes effect
State officials said that king salmon runs are not showing signs of improvement and that conservative measures are needed to ensure future fishing opportunities.
Kenai, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

Combined threats keep Alaska’s Cook Inlet beluga numbers perilously low, scientists say
The endangered population continues to slip and calf numbers are few, but no single factor has been identified as the cause.
Cook Inlet

A Homer scientist is bringing changes in Arctic permafrost into high-resolution
After growing up in Sweden, Anna Liljedahl moved to Alaska to study hydrology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She now lives in Homer, where she conducts research as an associate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, focusing on how climate change is impacting water in Arctic ecosystems.
KDLL Public Radio for the Central Kenai Peninsula

In Metlakatla, people from across Southeast learn how to watch for invasive green crabs
The destructive, invasive green crabs showed up in Metlakatla last summer. Stumpf explained a few key tells for a crab that doesn’t belong. “They have the five spines on either side of the eyes and then the three bumps in the middle,” he said. “So we’ve been teaching people with guides how to identify the crabs.”
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States
KTOO

2 major tribal groups' departure from AFN raises questions about its future
Two regional tribal organizations, the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and the Tanana Chiefs Conference, have each cited different reasons for parting company with AFN.

Prevalence of deadly chronic wasting disease in some Alberta deer hits 23%
An incurable disease found in deer, elk, and moose is spreading across Alberta, according to new provincial surveillance results — and certain populations have reached a 23 per cent positivity rate.
Alberta, Canada

Alaska’s weird fire season ain’t over yet
Waking to the smell of a wet ashtray (which, as a Child of the Seventies, I can still remember), I knew the wind had shifted. Wildfire smoke hung in the neighborhood.

Fagersta resident on swine fever outbreak: ”Hold on and hope for the best”
The small Swedish town of Fagersta, Västmanland County, has been at the epicentre of the recent outbreak of African swine fever.All activities in an area of forest around 1000 square kilometers in the counties of Västmanland and Dalarna have been off limits since Friday following the discovery of dead wild boar.
Fagersta, Västmanland, Sweden

Red tide killing thousands of fish along the Texas Gulf Coast
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the presence of red tide on the upper coast was first confirmed at a red tide monitoring station near Freeport about 3 weeks ago.
FOX 26 Houston

California sea lions are dying—now scientists know why
Twenty-two sea lions have been found dead on beaches in California, with many more found sick.
Bodega Bay, California, United States
Newsweek

Prey driven away by wildfire, YKDFN Chief says wolves are turning to Yellowknife for food
Fred Sangris said there isn't a big population of wolves in the area of Yellowknife, Ndilǫ and Dettah — but sightings are happening more often because they're hungry and venturing near communities in search of food.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Low water in Yellowknife Bay not increasing arsenic risk says official, researcher
An official with the Giant Mine remediation project and a local researcher aren't worried the low water in Yellowknife Bay is exposing people to more arsenic in areas along the shore line.

Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine scheme expands
Cases of TBE have fallen slightly, but in Kustavi on the west coast, the number has been growing steadily.
Finland

Russia is to lose its permafrost, minister of natural resources warns
Northern territories ‘will become arable farmland in 20-to-30 years', and will have to adapt - fast. ‘Every such region understands what's coming to it in 20, 30 years. It’ll stop being northern (climate-wise), or it will suddenly turn into a clearly agricultural’, Alexander Kozlov said in an interview to Russian business news outlet RBC.

Increasing Insect Reactions in Alaska: Is this Related to Changing Climate?
During the summer of 2006, Fairbanks Alaska experienced its first two known cases of fatal anaphylaxis as a result of Hymenoptera stings, presumably from yellowjackets. Statistically significant increases in patients seeking medical care for insect bite and sting related events are observed throughout the state, with 5 of the 6 regions experiencing at least a 6 degree Fahrenheit increase in winter temperature since 1950.
Nature Precedings

Invasive species bill introduced to Alaska legislature
In June 2010, researchers discovered Didemnum vexillum — also known as “rock vomit” — in Whiting Harbor near Sitka. This species, which can cover large areas of the seafloor, is an aggressive invader and a potential threat to shellfish farms, groundfish fisheries, fish spawning and other resources. The council is also concerned about the European green crab which can potentially travel in the ballast water of oil tankers and be released into Prince William Sound.
Seward, Alaska, United States
Prince William Sound

Global Warming Threatens Sweden’s Reindeer Herds
Unusual weather patterns in Sweden’s arctic region seem to be jeopardising the migrating animals’ traditional grazing grounds, as rainfall during the winter has led to thick layers of snowy ice that block access to food.
Kiruna, Norrbotten, Sweden
Courthouse News

Booming turkey vulture populations could be another sign climate
For the past five years or so, former state Sen. Randall Hardy has watched a few dozen turkey vultures roost in a tree next to his garage. He can tell when the migratory birds return to his central Salina neighborhood each spring as the colors begin to change.
Hays, Kansas, United States
kake.com

Bad weather hampers military efforts to purify Iqaluit river water
Task Force Iqaluit is making plans to move its water purification operation indoors, after a winter storm knocked down the tent housing its purifying system. Meanwhile, city staff are being redeployed due to the crisis, leading to some cuts to recreation services.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Scientists have found out what kind of garbage threatens the marine animals of Kamchatka
Employees of the Kronotsky Reserve have published the results of a large-scale summer expedition to collect and classify garbage on the coast of the South Kamchatka Federal Reserve. The main pollutants that threaten the lives of marine and coastal animals are identified.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
mnr.gov.ru

Surface trawl survey reveals shifting fish populations
Researchers are predicting low fish runs in the Norton Sound and Northern Bering Sea region again next year, according to research biologist Jim Murphy.
Northern Bering Sea
The Nome Nugget

Scientists study accelerating land subsidence affecting coastal North Slope communities
CLIMATE CHANGECLIMATE CHANGECLIMATE CHANGEAnchorage Daily News When a
Point Lay, Alaska, United States

What happens when the ice disappears?
Lake Superior is warming faster than any of the Great Lakes, with impacts on ice fishing, wildlife and Indigenous ways of life
Lake Superior / *Gitchigumi*
The Narwhal

Into the ice: Snow crab decline hits Bering Sea island community of St. Paul
This season’s quotas of snow crab catch were slashed by nearly 90%, a body blow to the small island government on St. Paul, where the crab are processed — and taxed.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States

Coxiella burnetii in northern fur seals and Steller sea lions of Alaska
Coxiella burnetii, a zoonotic bacterium, has recently been identified in several marine mammal species on the Pacific Coast of North America, but little is known about the epidemiology, transmission, and pathogenesis in these species.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
PubMed

Study links lack of running water to prevalence of ear infections among rural Alaska children
A Bering Strait study, part of a program examining ear infections and hearing loss, links lack of running water to childhood ear diseases.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Alaska Beacon

Sunflower sea stars need help after catastrophic population declines, scientists say
Experts say a wasting disease epidemic has decimated about 95% of the sunflower sea star population from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Without sea stars to keep them in check, sea urchins are causing a troubling decline in kelp forests that provide food and shelter.
West Coast of North America
oregonlive

Can the Alaska blackfish really survive being frozen?
The Alaska blackfish is an evolutionary loner that fins through lakes and tundra ponds across much of the state. It exists nowhere else, except just across Bering Strait in Siberia. The fish is different from others in the state because in addition to gathering oxygen through its gills, it can pull oxygen from free air.
Hughes, Alaska, United States

Insights on climate realities concludes Arctic Encounter Symposium
The Arctic Encounter Symposium (AES) held its 2023 event, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, military leaders and other experts to discuss the leading issues in Arctic policy, innovation and development. The event allowed attendees to hear from several Alaska Natives about their experiences in a rapidly changing climate and ecosystem.

Most of Anchorage safe from tsunami, but new report notes threat from worst-case scenario
The risk of a tsunami hitting Anchorage – Alaska’s largest city, at the head of Cook Inlet – has been the subject of debate for years.

Homeowners face rising insurance rates as climate change makes wildfires, storms more common
A growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to afford insurance on their homes, a problem only expected to worsen because insurers and lawmakers have underestimated the impact of climate change, a new report says. “If you’re not worried, you’re not paying attention,” said California Sen. Bill Dodd, whose district includes the wine-country counties devastated by the LNU Complex fires in 2020.
United States

Northern Bering Sea saw some indicators of health rebound in 2023
The Northern Bering Sea showed signs of ecological recovery in 2023, with improved conditions for zooplankton and fish despite ongoing challenges from climate change and variable sea ice patterns.
Bering Sea
The Nome Nugget

Russia Threatens to Withdraw From the Arctic Council
"We need to keep all political options open, including a withdrawal from the Arctic Council," says Russia's Arctic Ambassador, Nikolay Korchunov.
Moscow, Russia
High North News

Caribou declines causing angst for Alaska hunters are part of wider North America trend
There are signs that climate change is depressing caribou herds across the north, and looming development could be an obstacle to recovery.
Alaska Beacon

State officials extend studded-tire removal deadline by 15 days
Most of Southcentral Alaska has seen near record-setting snowfall this winter. The state of Alaska extended its annual deadline for residents to swap out their studded winter tires by 15 days due to what they called “prolonged winter weather.”

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