Mystery disease showing up in Bering Sea ribbon seals

[Emily]

http://www.adn.com/wildlife/article...ess-among-bering-sea-ribbon-seals/2016/05/11/

[h=1]Mystery disease showing up in Bering Sea ribbon seals[/h]

• Author: Yereth Rosen
• Updated: May 10
• Published May 10

Five years after a mysterious and sometimes fatal disease struck Arctic Alaska ringed seals, causing them to lose their fur or develop bleeding lesions, there are signs of the disorder or something similar to it among a different species of ice-dwelling seals.

... The cause of the illness that emerged in 2011 is still unknown; radiation poisoning, harmful algal blooms and bacterial infections are among the possible culprits that have been investigated."There hasn't been a definitive diagnosis yet," Boveng said.


Also unknown is whether the scientists' encounters last month with ribbon seals show signs of a new outbreak, lingering effects of the old event or something different.

Thread on previous cases possibly related: [h=1]Alaska: unidentified outbreak kills dozens of ringed seals- Walruses ill as well - Ribbon seal found with syndrome 3/12[/h]