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

Weather Shifting Sea Ice Flow
Unusual weather patterns are pushing the sea ice away from the coast.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Freezing Waterlines
12-21-12 Freezing waterlines - Evansville, Alaska, USA
Evansville, Alaska, United States

Jumbo Flying Squid Pile Up On Calif. Beach
Rio Del Mar, California, United States
ABC News

Hundreds of Humboldt squid wash up on Aptos area beaches
Rio Del Mar, California, United States
Santa Cruz Sentinel

Water Shortage
12-6-12 Water shortage - Nanwalek, Alaska, USA
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

Still No Snow or Yukon River Ice
11-27-12 Still no snow or Yukon ice - Fort Yukon, Alaska, USA
Fort Yukon Alaska, United States

Lake Froze Weird
Aleknagik, November 26, 2012 (ice) Our lake froze weird again this year.
Aleknagik, Alaska, United States

Birch Shieldbug (Elasmostethus interstinctus) in November?
Birch shieldbug found in Wasilla home in November.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Air Pockets in River Ice
11-21-12 Air pockets in river ice - St. Marys, Alaska, USA
St. Marys, Alaska, United States

Snow Well Below Normal
Half of what we usually have this time of year.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Anchorage Snow Totals Well Below Average
November is usually the second snowiest month in Anchorage, but this year, snow totals are well below average. So far, only about three inches of snow has fallen in the city. November usually sees an average of seven inches by now, with a total of a little more than 13 inches for the month. National Weather Service Meteorologist Dave Snider says total snowfall for the season is also well below normal.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

No Snow on the Seward Peninsula
Despite the time of year, there is still no snow on the Seward Peninsula.
Elim, Alaska, United States

Late Snow Fall
Late snow seasonal snow fall
Koyukuk, Alaska, United States

Late Salmon Run
11-1-12 Late salmon run - Fort Yukon, Alaska, USA
Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States

Road dust
Road dust is unhealthy.
Kalskag, Alaska, United States
Sharay Alexie, Billy Jean Stewart, Cathy Wasuli

Natural Gas Vent
On a rising tide, a line of bubbles from the mud under the water of Ugashik Bay can be observed rising forcefully to the surface.
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States
Mike Brubaker, Jennifer Skrada, Nikki Shanigan, Katey Walter Anthony

Worms (Splendidofilaria pectoralis) in Grouse and Ptarmigan
Species of nematode *Splendidofilaria pectoralis* has been described in blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus pallidus) in British Columbia, but never as far north and west as Unalakleet.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Victoria Kotongan, Caroline Van Hemert, Todd O'Hara

B.C.'s Cowichan River in danger of drying up
Duncan, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) in the Arctic
Brown bears spotted by a resident for the first time on the island of Shishmaref.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

River Erosion on the Yukon Flats
Yukon Flats community dealing with river erosion and landscape changes that are threatening the loss of traditional harvesting areas.
Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States

More Brown Bears (Ursus arctos)
10-1-12 More brown bears - Koyukuk, Alaska, USA
Koyukuk, Alaska, United States

Thawing and Eroding Trail
Permafrost thaw is causing trail in Golovin to erode.
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Damage to ATV Bridge
Permafrost thawing causing bridge damage.
Selawik, Alaska, United States

Extreme Rain & Flooding
9-21-12 Extreme rain and flooding - Wasilla, Alaska, USA
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

2nd Major Wind Storm Hits Anchorage
A second major wind storm in less than two weeks swept through Alaska's largest city on Sunday, but unlike the earlier storm, its greatest intensity was mostly on higher elevations where gusts as high as 120 mph were reported, weather forecasters said.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
The Weather Channel

Unusual Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Sighting
Rare polar bear sighting in Sisualik summer camp, about 10-11 miles north of Kotzebue, AK.
Sisualik Fish Camp, Alaska, United States

Water Red in Harbor (Algae)
Red-colored seawater in boat harbor.
Saint George, Alaska, United States

Spruce Bark Beetle
We are worried about the effects of large infestation and about wildlife.
Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States

Unseasonable windstorm ravages Anchorage
At least 50,000 homes and businesses lost power late Tuesday, and outages continued through Wednesday.
Anchorage Daily News

Windfall Tree Devastation
The winds came east out of the Chugach Mountains and caused damage to forest, unlike anything we have seen in over 50 years. It is going to be expensive and time consuming to clear the windfall.

Windfall creates flood hazard
9-5-12 Windfall causes flood hazard - Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Unusual Skate Found on Arctic Beach
9-13-12 Unusual skate on Arctic beach - Barrow, Alaska, USA
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Heat lightning
9-1-12 Heat lightning - Kiska Island, Alaska, USA
Kiska Island, Alaska, USA

Rusty Tussock Moth Caterpillar
Potential problem for local trees, berry bushes and other plants.
King Salmon, Alaska, United States

Dead Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
At Moses Point, Northeast of Elim, we found a dead beluga whale.
Elim, Alaska, United States

Lynx in high Arctic
8-24-12 Lynx in high Arctic - Barrow, Alaska, USA
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Dead Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Our concern has to do with the impact and number of dead whales that might have on our subsistence lifestyle. It is unusual to find so many dead whales.
Old Harbor, Alaska, United States

Brace yourselves, winter is coming
This summer has been one of the rainiest Ulaanbaatar has ever experienced, leaving behind puddles of water that result in cracked and deteriorated roads.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
The UB Post

Birch trees and bird vetch prompt slew of questions in Interior Alaska
There has been an outbreak in Fairbanks of the amber-marked birch leaf miner (Profenusa thomsoni), an insect that came to North America in the early 1900s and arrived in Fairbanks by about 2002.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Steven Seefeldt / Cooperative Extension Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Dead Baby Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas)
Several sightings of dead baby belugas were reported on the shores of the community and in the area over the past few days.
Elim, Alaska, United States

High Water on the Kobuk River
A normal daily river level here is about 46', so we are nearly eight (8') feet above normal.
Kiana, Alaska, United States

Extreme High Water on Noatak River
Extremely high water on the Noatak
Noatak, Alaska, United States

Extreme Rain and Flooding
It has been raining nonstop the entire month of August
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Bird experts aflutter over drop in rufous hummingbird numbers
The number of rufous hummingbirds visiting southern Vancouver Island over the summer is dropping and the cause may be climate change, says a local bird expert.
Central Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Latest IHN outbreak forces cull at Millar Channel fish farm
Update: Aug. 16. Mainstream Canada has announced that the Millar Channel fish farm is now empty. The fish, infected with the IHN virus,were taken to a rendering facility. Mainstream Canada is developing a plan for cleaning and disinfecting the farm site, as per the requirements of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. “This is an unfortunate incident, but we are pleased with how smoothly the depopulation procedure went considering the situation,” said Fernando Villarroel, Mainstream Canada’s managing director.
Millar Channel, British Columbia, Canada
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper

Best sockeye return in 100 years
Fisheries Minister Gail Shea is crowing about the opportunities with the 2010 return of sockeye to the Fraser river, calling it a  banner year for Fraser River sockeye salmon. This year's return is currently set at just over 25 million fish, one of the highest returns in the last hundred years. Several fishery openings for Fraser River sockeye have already occurred in 2010 and more are planned, she said.
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper

Dead Grey Whale
8-7-12 Dead grey whale - Nome, Alaska, USA
Nome, Alaska, United States

Tundra Slipping Below Sea Level
Melting permafrost causing tundra to slip below sea level in northern Alaska.
North Slope, Alaska, United States

N.W.T. bison anthrax outbreak largest ever in territory
So far approximately 340 bison have died from an anthrax outbreak in the Fort Providence area of the N.W.T.
Fort Providence, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Dead Whale
Two dead marine mammals--a fur seal and a whale.
St. George, Alaska, United States

Sucker Fish (Catostomus catostomus)
First time seeing a sucker fish in the Lower Yukon River.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Eroding Bluff Threatens Road
Eroding bluff threatens community transportation access.
Chevak, Alaska, USA

Sunken Vessel Spill
Sunken vessel leads to petroleum spill.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Great Gardening
7-19-12 Great gardening - Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Unusual eel-like fish
7-12-12 Eel-like fish - Kivalina, Alaska, USA
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Parasite causing problems for B.C. salmon farmers
Some B.C.-farmed salmon is reaching store shelves with a parasite that can liquefy the fish’s flesh into an unappetizing goop.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CTVNews

Barnacle decline
7-3-12 Barnacle decline - McDonald Spit, Alaska, USA
McDonald Spit, Alaska, USA

Longnose Skate (Raja rihina)
An unusual skeleton of a fish was found on the tide line in Kasitsna Bay.
Kasitsna Bay, Alaska, United States

Non-stinging Wasp (Cynipoidea) Larva
Non-sting wasp (cynipoidea) larva
Slana, Alaska, United States

Three dead whales
6-22-12 Three dead whales - Old Harbor, Alaska, USA
Old Harbor, Alaska, USA

Petroleum Smell in Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)
6-20-12 Petroleum smell in chum salmon - Chevak, Alaska, USA
Chevak, Alaska, United States

Pacific sleeper shark
6-20-12 Pacific sleeper shark - King Cove, Alaska, USA
King Cove, Alaska, USA

Heat wave across Interior
6-17-12 Heat wave across Interior - Galena, Alaska, USA
Galena, Alaska, United States

Changing Plant Conditions
More leaf miners this year, less blue berry blossoms, but more cranberry.
Evansville, Alaska, United States

Ice Departure Delayed
Sea ice conditions making it difficult for community to harvest seasonal fish.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Weird Orange Bug
6-12-12 Weird orange bug - Pilot Point, Alaska, USA
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States

Unusual Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus)
5-29-12 Unusual bearded seal - Shishmaref, Alaska, USA
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

In Nicoya Gulf, the deadly red tide lingers
Since early February, the gulf, and beaches and islands surrounding it, have been in the throes of one of the worst blooms of red tide in recent years.
Paquera, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate

Buckland River Floods Dumpsite
5-23-12 Buckland River floods dumpsite - Buckland, Alaska, USA.
Buckland, Alaska, USA

Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida) with Sores
Ringed seal with sores found in Shishmaref.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Invasive snakehead fish found in B.C. park lagoon
Voracious predator could be big threat to native aquatic populations
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Globe and Mail

Wolves and Bear around the Dump
Wolves and bears rummaging around the dump.
King Cove, Alaska, USA

River Bank Erosion
Erosion on the banks of the Koyukuk River is increasing in the community of Evansville and Bettles.
Evansville, Alaska, United States

Windfall trees an obstacle
Wind fall trees an obstacle
Gakona, Alaska, United States

Kuskokwim River flooding
Kuskokwim River flooding causes concern in community
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, USA

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Brown marmorated stink bug
King Cove, Alaska, United States
Corlene Rose, Honey Lou Wilson, Mike Rasy

Deer with Hair Loss
Sitka black-tailed deer (*Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis*) seen with large amount of hair loss.
Hollis, Alaska, Unites States

Seal with Hair Loss
Seal with hair loss observed in Bering Strait region

Unseasonably Warm
4-25-12 Unseasonably warm - Evansville, Alaska, USA

Anchorage, Alaska sets new snow record
To say Alaska has been snowy this winter is an understatement. Anchorage broke a 57 year old snowfall record Saturday when a storm produced 4.3 inches of snow on Saturday, April 7, 2012.
EarthSky

Fur loss, oozing sores observed in Arctic Alaska polar bears
Polar bear researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey are only halfway into their annual survey in Alaska and they've already come across nine bears – six in Barrow and 3 in Kaktovik – with signs of alopecia and skin lesions. The muzzle, face, eyes, ears and neck appear most affected, according to a bulletin published Friday by the agency.
Kaktovik, 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
Anchorage Daily News

Falling ice traps driver, closes highway
A woman was trapped in a pickup on the Seward Highway on Friday after falling ice crushed the vehicle just south of Anchorage.
Anchorage Daily News

3,000 dolphins found dead on the coast of Peru
According to a report from Peru 21, local fishermen in Lambayeque, north Peru, were first to notice the inexplicable rise in dead dolphin appearing on shore -- averaging roughly 30 per day.
Peru
TreeHugger

Polar bears with skin illness

Aleutian Avalanche
3-20-12 Aleutian avalanche - Akutan, Alaska, USA
Akutan, Alaska, United States

Unusually large ice formation next to highway
The ice formation along the Seward Highway grabbed my interest because it stood out and was rather unusual.
LEO Network

Ice formation on cliffs
3-17-12 Ice formation on cliffs - Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Barnacles Declining
3-9-12 Barnacles declining - Nanwalek, Alaska, USA
Nanwalek, Alaska, USA

Ringed seal
Abashiri, Hokkaido, Japan

Pressure ice ridges
2-22-12 Pressure ice ridges "Vuneqs" - Kwigillingok, Alaska, USA
Kwigillingok, Alaska, USA

Square-legged Camel Cricket (Tropidischia xanthostoma)
We found an unusual looking spider or insect.
Klawock, Alaska, United States

Bearded seal
Tayport, Scotland, United Kingdom

Spotted seal
Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan

Spotted seal
Funabashi, Chiba, Japan

Ribbon seal
Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan

Late Freeze-up
Late freeze-up of sea ice along the shoreline

Support

Observation Template