Scientists in Alaska are researching whether local seals are being sickened by radiation* from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant.

    Scores of ring seals have washed up on Alaska’s Arctic coastline since July, suffering or killed by a mysterious* disease marked by bleeding lesions* on the hind flippers*, irritated* skin around the nose and eyes and hair loss on the animals’ fur coats.

    Biologists at first thought the seals were suffering from a virus*, but they have so far been unable to identify one, and tests are now under way to find out if radiation is a factor.

    “We recently received samples of seal tissue from diseased animals captured near St. Lawrence Island with a request to examine the material for radioactivity,” said John Kelley, Professor Emeritus at the Institute of Marine Science at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

    The results of the tests would not be available for several weeks, Kelley said.

     (SD-Agencies)