Unusual winter weather conditions in Canada's northwestern Yukon Territory are adding up to problems for wildlife.
A sharp, hard crust of ice has formed on top of the snow, says Matt Clarke, a regional biologist for the Yukon government. It could injure moose and caribou and make it tougher for the animals to forage, he says.
"They walk around and the sharp crust on the snow is cutting their legs up but it also makes for easy travel for wolves, they can run around on top and really pursue their prey a lot easier," he says.
Clarke says caribou and moose are congregating in the valleys often near roads and he is warning motorists to beware.
The unusual weather could also affect much smaller animals such as mice, voles and even grouse.
Clarke says the recent warm weather "has really changed the condition of the snow" and reduced its value as an insulator.
"It is more granular which allows the cold to really penetrate. There are animals that live under the snow all winter long and rely on that insulation to avoid freezing," he says.
In Yukon this winter, a heavy snowfall in December was followed by record breaking warm temperatures.
This story is posted on Alaska Dispatch as part of Eye on the Arctic, a collaborative partnership between public and private circumpolar media organizations.