The National Ocean and Atmospheric Admin broke the news after gathering multiple reports that over 60 ice seals were seen dead along the west coast of Alaska last month and federal biologists are still trying to determine their cause of death.
NOAA Fisheries is trying to determine if these seals were abnormally shedding or molting because some were observed to had lost hair, although the definitive cause for the abnormal molting has not been identified. The agency has taken into account the importance of ice seals in the native and coastal towns in Alaska because they are a major source of food, clothing and other materials to the residents.
Experts have said that the most likely cause of death would be the rising temperatures and melting of ice in the Bering sea.
The agency has estimated that over the last six years, 657 seals have been affected declaring a higher mortality event around the Bering and Chukchi seas. Because of this, certain types of seals such as harbor seals are already classified as endangered.
The seals make use of ice as a place where they can rest and give birth. It also serves as their indirect food source.
NOAA, along with local scientists continue on with the investigation to find out exactly why the seals have been dying.
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