Alaska seabird deaths continue trend tied to warming ocean

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Federal wildlife officials are documenting a die-off of Alaska seabirds stretching from north of the Bering Strait to the Gulf of Alaska that may be connected to a trend of warming ocean water.

Carcasses examined so far have shown no indication of disease, and tests are pending for harmful algal toxins. Seabirds have been found emaciated and starved, and changed ocean conditions may have affected prey.

"As in the past, these die-offs have been associated with unusually warm water conditions," said Katherine Kuletz, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seabird biologist. "T...