The puzzling illness that’s affecting ringed seals in the Arctic is now officially an Unusual Mortality Event – or UME. The designation by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will free up more federal resources to investigate the cause. Walrus have also turned up with similar lesions and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to declare its own UME soon.
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Annie Feidt is the broadcast managing editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at afeidt@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Annie here.
