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OhioChick

(23,218 posts)
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 01:16 PM Apr 2012

USGS: Some Alaska polar bears losing their fur

Posted: 11:55 AM
By: Associated Press



ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaska polar bears are losing their fur and U.S. Geological Survey scientists don't know why.

In the past two weeks, nine of 33 bears checked by scientists in the southern Beaufort Sea region near Barrow were found to have alopecia -- loss of fur -- and skin lesions, said Tony DeGange, chief of the biology office at the USGS Science Center in Anchorage.

Three of four bears inspected Thursday near Kaktovik showed the symptoms as well.

Scientists have been collecting blood and tissue samples from the afflicted bears, but they do not know the cause or the significance of the outbreak, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

More: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/science_tech/usgs-some-alaska-polar-bears-losing-their-fur


13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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USGS: Some Alaska polar bears losing their fur (Original Post) OhioChick Apr 2012 OP
Polar bears are very smart. Too smart. Perhaps they worry too much. Bucky Apr 2012 #1
So depressing. MoonRiver Apr 2012 #2
Could it be a more "natural" reaction? Fawke Em Apr 2012 #3
A reaction to holes in the ozone layer... joeybee12 Apr 2012 #6
I think this is some kind of infection or fungus Viva_La_Revolution Apr 2012 #8
... FirstLight Apr 2012 #4
Lesions -- Hell Hath No Fury Apr 2012 #5
Radiation sickness? Hawkowl Apr 2012 #7
Yup that's what I was thinking. Ganja Ninja Apr 2012 #11
I would place that hypothesis as a leading contender. n/t Uncle Joe Apr 2012 #12
Some of the seals up there have had a similar unexplained ailment. Blue_In_AK Apr 2012 #9
from sun? From chemicals? Liberal_in_LA Apr 2012 #10
Anxiety? Sometimes cats pull off blobs of their fur. nt raccoon Apr 2012 #13

MoonRiver

(36,926 posts)
2. So depressing.
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 01:21 PM
Apr 2012

These poor animals, and many others, are not adapted to such rapidly progressing, man-made, climate change. It's going to get worse.

Fawke Em

(11,366 posts)
3. Could it be a more "natural" reaction?
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 01:27 PM
Apr 2012

By that, I mean that, since the Earth and their environment is warming, they are losing hair like our pets do when it's warmer?

I realize what is happening to our Earth isn't natural, but animals' reactions to it are.

 

joeybee12

(56,177 posts)
6. A reaction to holes in the ozone layer...
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 02:12 PM
Apr 2012

And that ozone is not there to keep out rays that do such damage.

FirstLight

(13,352 posts)
4. ...
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 02:11 PM
Apr 2012

what about there being recent spills and such in the nborth sea? could the chemicals in the environment cause this?

poor babies, i weep for our planet and it's inhabitants... (the non human ones, humans deserve what they get)

 

Hell Hath No Fury

(16,327 posts)
5. Lesions --
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 02:12 PM
Apr 2012

That makes me think there is something else going on then mere hair loss due to climate. I have alopecia and lesions are not part of the disease.

Pollution? Poisoning?

 

Hawkowl

(5,213 posts)
7. Radiation sickness?
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 02:15 PM
Apr 2012

I wonder if the ocean currents have carried enough radioactivity from the Fukushima meltdown to affect the North Pole fauna? I believe the Japanese attempted to cool the reactors with sea water which was then dumped (continuined to the present?) into the ocean.

Ganja Ninja

(15,953 posts)
11. Yup that's what I was thinking.
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 02:58 PM
Apr 2012

It will be interesting to see if the people living on the Alaskan coast develop the same symptoms since they're eating fish and seal meat too.

Blue_In_AK

(46,436 posts)
9. Some of the seals up there have had a similar unexplained ailment.
Mon Apr 9, 2012, 02:48 PM
Apr 2012

The scientists have ruled out radiation from Fukushima, but Arctic Dave and I are wondering if the malady is going up the food chain. Bears eat infected seals and catch whatever it is themselves.

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