Polar bears now have symptoms of mystery disease also found in seals and walruses

So the symptoms match perfectly with those in radiation poisoning and the chances of a disease passing from predator to prey is pretty much nill. Sounds like someone's not letting something out about the amount of radiation over there.

Polar bear AIDS?

Maybe it's something to do with all that methane being released from Siberia right now? Or their shrinking genitals:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14485634/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/polar-b...

sometimes I hate to be human.

They say radiation has been ruled out . It still LOOKS a Lot like radiation ....

This really makes be hopping mad. We are putting our planet on a course to ecological annihilation.

I suspect the tsunami runoff from Japan.

http://www.akbizmag.com/Alaska-Business-Monthly/December-2011/Alaska-Ringed-Seal...

"Alaska Ringed Seals Deaths Declared an Unusual Mortality Event; Walrus Pending: Cause Not Yet Identified; Public Encouraged To Report Sightings of Diseased or Dead Animals

NOAA today declared the recent deaths of ringed seals in the Arctic and Bering Strait regions of Alaska an unusual mortality event, triggering a focused, expert investigation into the cause. A decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on making such a declaration for Pacific walrus in Alaska is pending.

Since mid-July, more than 60 dead and 75 diseased seals, most of them ringed seals, have been reported in Alaska, with reports continuing to come in. During their fall survey, scientists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also identified diseased and dead walruses at the annual mass haul-out at Point Lay.

Seals and walruses suffering from this disease have skin sores, usually on the hind flippers or face, and patchy hair loss. Some of the diseased mammals have exhibited labored breathing and appear lethargic. Scientists have not yet identified a single cause for this disease, though tests indicate a virus is not the cause.

Hunters continue to see numerous healthy animals, and despite considerable contact with seals by hunters and field research personnel throughout this event, no similar illnesses in humans have been reported. Still, it is not known whether the disease can be transmitted to humans, pets, or other animals. Native subsistence hunters should use traditional and customary safe handling practices, and the Alaska Division of Public Health recommends fully cooking all meat and thoroughly washing hands and equipment with a water/bleach solution.

Any member of the public who encounters a seal or walrus that looks sick or behaves unusually, such as by not fleeing from humans, should avoid approaching or making contact with the animal. Sick or dead marine mammals should be reported to the following agencies, based on where the animal is seen:

•North Slope area: North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management: 907-852-0350
•Bering Strait region: Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program: 1-800-478-2202 or 907-443-2397
•Elsewhere in Alaska: NOAA Fisheries Alaska marine mammal stranding hotline: 1-877-925-7773

Necropsies and laboratory tests to date have found skin lesions in most cases, as well as fluid in the lungs, white spots on the liver, and abnormal growths in the brain. Some seals and walruses have undersized lymph nodes, which may indicate compromised immune systems.

Testing continues for a wide range of possible factors that may be responsible for the animals’ condition, including immune system-related diseases, fungi, man-made and bio-toxins, radiation exposure, contaminants, and stressors related to sea ice change.

Walruses and ringed seals in Russia, and ringed seals in Canada, have reportedly suffered similar symptoms. While it is not clear if the disease events are related, the timing and location of the disease suggests the possibility of transmission between the populations, or shared exposure to an environmental cause."
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Something either passed between these two places, or a similar event happening in both places, like permafrost melting.

hard to read jan, really hard to read. I don't think the kind of greed responsible for this even considers the loss or damage of a species problematic....

This really sucks. These poor creatures could be the canary in a coal mine. I hope they get it figured out soon and that it doesn't spread further.

The zappers here who now hate me because I am honest are zapping this off the board faster than an oil exec is made happy by this government because well, it just can't be seen! What a sad place when a posting about a real present danger to animals and humanity is shoved off this site just because it isn't some political or trash mag shock article/video. If I didn't know better I would think this site had been taken over by Republican Fox loving anti environmental tea bagger clones who want the site to fail.