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A28 SCIENCE
Tuesday 17 sepTember 2019
U.S. biologists eye unusual deaths of Alaska ice seals

By DAN JOLING resources on an investiga-
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) tion.
— Seals that rely on sea Bearded seals get their
ice off Alaska’s northwest name from short snouts
coast have been dying at covered with thick, long,
uncommon rates, and fed- white whiskers. Bearded
eral marine mammal biolo- seals give birth and rear
gists Thursday declared an pups on drifting pack ice.
“unusual mortality event.” Ringed seals are the small-
The cause of death for est of Alaska’s ice seals and
nearly 300 ringed, bearded are the main prey of polar
and spotted seals since bears. They get their name
June 1, 2018, is not known, from small, light-colored
according to the fisheries circles on their coats.
arm of the National Oce- Ringed seals are the only
anic and Atmospheric Ad- seals that thrive in com-
ministration, the manage- pletely ice-covered Arc-
ment agency for the ma- tic waters. They use strong
rine mammals. claws to maintain breath-
“We’re looking at a broad ing holes in thick ice and
spectrum of possible give birth in lairs dug in
causes and trying to rule This undated photo provided by the U.S. National Park Service shows a dead seal found on a snow that accumulates
out what we can and nar- beach near Kotzebue, Alaska. on top of ice. Young pups
row it down,” NOAA Fish- Associated Press cannot survive in cold wa-
eries spokeswoman Julie ter until they have grown a
Speegle said. Alaska Native coastal com- spotted seals and 91 seals “Many of the seals have blubber layer.
Viruses, bacteria and algal munities hunt all three seals that were not identified. been pretty badly decom- Spotted seals are medium-
blooms are possible causes. for meat and hides as part The deaths occurred over posed so it’s been hard to size seals with light coats
Water temperature in the of a subsistence life. all age groups. The deaths identify exactly what the and dark spots. They often
northern Bering Sea and NOAA Fisheries received both years occurred mostly fat layer is,” Speegle said. are found at the outer mar-
the Chukchi Sea the last reports of 282 dead seals, from June to September. Federal law defines an un- gins of shifting ice floes.
two summers have been almost five times more Some stranded seals were usual mortality event as NOAA Fisheries also de-
higher than normal. The than the average number missing fur or were skinnier strandings that involve a clared an unusual mortality
agency is looking at pos- of reported strandings, ac- than normal, but the time significant die-off and de- event following abnormal
sible ecosystem influences, cording to the agency. The between death and dis- mand an immediate re- molting and deaths of ice
including diminished sea count included 85 beard- covery of a carcass hinder sponse. The declaration seals and walruses from
ice, Speegle said. ed seals, 66 ringed seals, 40 investigators. allows the agency to focus 2011 to 2016. q

No new measles cases reported in fading U.S. outbreak

By MIKE STOBBE cases in a whole year. cently lost their elimination
AP Medical Writer So far this year, 1,241 cases status amid a global surge
NEW YORK (AP) — The na- have been confirmed — a in the disease.
tion's worst measles epi- number that didn't rise last Measles outbreaks are typi-
demic in 27 years could be week, the Centers for Dis- cally declared over when
in its final stages as a week ease Control and Preven- 42 days pass without a new
went by with no new re- tion reported Monday. The infection. If no new cases
ported cases. last time the CDC reported crop up, the national out-
"To get to zero is tremen- no new measles cases was break would likely end on
dously encouraging," said 11 months ago. or about Sept. 30 — just be-
Jason Schwartz, a Yale Uni- New York officials re- fore officials might have to
versity expert on vaccina- sponded to the explosion decide on the U.S. elimina-
tion policy. of measles cases with a tion status.
The current epidemic wave of measures, includ- The loss of elimination sta-
emerged about a year ing education campaigns tus in the U.S. could take
In this March 27, 2019, file photo, a woman receives a measles, ago and took off earlier to counter misinformation the steam out of measles
mumps and rubella vaccine at the Rockland County Health De-
partment in Pomona, N.Y. this year, with most of the about vaccine safety and vaccination campaigns
Associated Press cases reported in Ortho- fines for people who didn't in other countries, said Dr.
dox Jewish communities get vaccinated. William Schaffner, a Van-
in and around New York The epidemic has threat- derbilt University vaccine
City. It started with travelers ened the Unites States' expert.
who had become infected nearly 2-decade-old sta- Health ministers around
overseas but spread quick- tus as a nation that has the world might say, "Why
ly among unvaccinated eliminated measles. The should we strive for elimina-
people. status could come to an tion?
In the spring, 70 or more end if the disease spreads We'll just do the best we
new cases were being re- among Americans for a can to control measles, but
ported every week. Not year or more. Other coun- we won't go the extra sev-
long ago, the nation that tries, including Greece and eral miles to get to zero,"
saw that many measles the United Kingdom, re- Schaffner said.q