North Sea seal losses worse than expected

Swedish scientists reported yesterday that an ecological disaster was much worse than expected and has wiped out seal colonies and other marine life in the North and Baltic Seas. Their report was issued on the eve of an emergency meeting in Stockholm of environmental officials.

An estimated 6,000 North Sea seals have died this summer in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, and West German waters, victims of a virus. Biologists say the cause is likely a combination of factors, including toxic emissions.