Grace Mu

Mr. Dziunycz
Grade 7 Science, Period 5
March 28, 2014
Current Event Article
Title: Arctic Thaw is Spreading Wildlife Diseases
By-Line: Two parasites find new species to infect as melting ice breaks down barriers to their
range.
News Source: www.sciencenews.org
Date the Article Was Found: March 17, 2014
Author of the Article: Tina Hesman Saey
Website Link: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/arctic-thaw-spreading-wildlifediseases?mode=topic&context=79
Area of Science: Biology
Who Was Involved? Parasitologist Michael Grigg, grey seals, ringed seals
What Happened? The Arctic has been warming at a very fast rate. This has allowed the ice
covering the land and most of the Arctic Ocean to begin to melt. The extra water has been
eroding natural barriers that separate dangerous parasites from possible hosts. As a result,
animals are becoming infected with new diseases. In 2012, a new parasite found near Canadas
Hudson Bay began infecting grey seals. About one in every five healthy-looking grey seals born
there died. The parasite destroyed the livers of 404 pups and two adults. Michael Grigg, a
parasitologist, researched the incident and reported about it on February 13, 2014. According to
Grigg and his coworkers, the parasite is shaped like a crescent moon. So far, it has also infected
80 percent of ringed seals, but it turns out that unlike grey seals, ringed seals are immune to it.
The parasite, Sarcocystis pinnipedi, can get inside a ringed seals cells, but is soon imprisoned in
cysts, where it can do no further harm. Researchers such as Grigg are working to try to stop the
parasite before it begins negatively affecting other species of animals.
Where Did It Happen? The Arctic
When Did It Happen? Began in 2012, but was reported about on February 13, 2014

What Do You Think About the Article? When I read this article, I was shocked that such tragic
things could happen because of the melting of the ice in the Arctic. I did not know that there
were deadly parasites frozen in the Arctic, waiting to be uncovered. This idea scares me because
if the new parasites have already begun harming animals such as grey seals, they may harm
humans as well. I was interested when I read that ringed seals are immune to the parasite. This
information could help scientists find ways to protect other species of animals such as grey seals
from the parasite. After reading this article, I was inspired to look for ways to stop global
warming and the melting of the ice around the Arctic. If we do not solve this problem soon,
unimaginable disasters could occur.
Definition/Explanation: erosion - the process that removes rock and soil from one spot on
Earths surface and then deposits the material elsewhere
immune system - the collection of cells and their responses that help the body fight off infection
infection - a disease that can be transmitted between organisms.
habitat - the area or natural environment in which an animal or plant normally lives