Mystery disease killing seals in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An unknown disease is killing or weakening scores of ringed seals along Alaska’s north coast, where the animals have been found with lesions on their hind flippers and inside their mouths.

Ringed seals, the main prey of polar bears and a species that rarely comes ashore, in late July began showing up on the Beaufort Sea coast outside Barrow with the lesions, patchy hair loss and skin irritation around the nose and eyes.

Officials from the National Marine Fisheries Service and the North Slope Borough said Thursday that 107 animals were found stranded from late July through Sept. 29 and 99 appeared to have lesions. Nearly half died. Seals still alive were lethargic or showing labored breathing.

Necropsies revealed lesions were not limited to skin of seals. Biologists studying the dead animals found lesions in the respiratory system, liver, lymphoid system, heart and brain, said Julie Speegle, spokeswoman for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Wildlife authorities in Canada and Russia have reported similar incidents, she said.

“We don’t know if they’re related, but they’re similar,” Speegle said.

Linda Deger, a spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said by email that ringed seals are the only species reported to be affected and the department and other agencies are investigating.

It’s also not known whether symptoms could be transferred to other animals or humans, Speegle said, although officials are keeping a close watch.