Radiation Ruled Out As Cause of Alaska Seal Deaths, For Now

Here’s an update on this story …

By Yereth Rosen – “ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) – Preliminary tests appear to rule out radiation from Japan’s tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant as the cause of mysterious deaths and illness that struck scores of Alaska seals last year, federal officials said on Friday.

Preliminary tests of tissue samples from animals that fell victim to the lesion-causing disease found that radiation levels were normal and within ‘the typical background range for Alaska,’ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a statement.

More than 60 dead and 75 sickened seals, most of them ringed seals, were found on the northern and western coasts of Alaska last summer and fall. Some walruses were also afflicted by the disease, with a smaller number found dead.

The affected animals have bleeding lesions on their flippers and other body parts, patchy loss of hair, labored breathing and lethargy, according to NOAA, which in December declared the problem an ‘unusual mortality event.’

The findings that appear to clear the Fukushima plant of blame are only preliminary, Juneau-based NOAA spokeswoman Julie Speegle said, and more analysis will be conducted. Tests on healthy animals also found normal levels of radiation.

‘Part of the reason it doesn’t rule it out is we need to do more in-depth tests for Cesium 137 and Cesium 134,’ Speegle said.” Read more.