A marine heat wave has devastated Alaska's common murre population, with about half of their numbers dying between 2014 and 2016, marking the largest recorded die-off of a single species. The Northeast Pacific heat wave, known as "the Blob," caused ocean temperatures to rise significantly, disrupting marine ecosystems and food sources like Pacific cod, essential to murre survival. Researchers found no recovery signs in monitored colonies post-heat wave, raising concerns about long-term impacts and the ability of murres and other species to adapt. Environmental stresses such as microplastics and ocean acidification compound these challenges.