https://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2020/07/24/mystery-of-dying-seabirds-m...

Mystery Of Dying Seabirds: More Starving Birds Found in Bering Strait Region for Fourth Consecutive Year

July 24 2020

REPORTS OF DEAD SEABIRDS found on the shores of Western Alaska are being documented again this summer. According to local experts this would mark the fourth year in a row the Bering Strait region has seen a seabird die-off, if the number of bird casualties continue to rise.

Brandon Ahmasuk, Kawerak’s Vice President of Natural Resources, says for the region to see large numbers of dead seabirds for this many years is concerning.

“Like you mentioned, the last four years, maybe five now…the amount [of dead seabirds] that we’ve been getting is alarming.”

The latest reports of dead seabirds in the Bering Strait region came from Nome, within the last couple weeks. Robb Kaler with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), says the first report from the region this summer was for a dead murre found in Nome around June 2^nd.

“That was a little bit later fortunately then we’ve been getting reports from Gay [Sheffield] from the Bering Strait region for the previous two or three years, so we were hopeful that maybe it wasn’t going to be another die-off year, but…”

But alas, the reports and observations are increasingly pointing to a seabird die-off in the Bering Strait region. This would be the fourth consecutive die-off for the region, although it’s been six years in a row that large scale seabird die-....

According to Kaler, the majority of the roughly 50 deceased birds reported last month were either murres or horned puffins. Most of them came from Nome while a couple were found in Shishmaref and on St. Lawrence Island.

And then, within the first two weeks of July, Gay Sheffield of Alaska Sea Grant said she received reports of an additional 60 dead seabirds. So far, initial test results from a handful of those birds have indicated that all of them were emaciated.

But, as Sheffield explains, the unanswered question remains: why were these birds and the hundreds from previous years, starving...

“So you have a skinny bird starving. That bird could either not find food, even though he’s healthy and looking for food; or he could be sick with something and not feel like eating. Those are two different avenues. If you start looking at starvation, you really want to know whether it’s a lack of food or if there’s an overlying problem.”

Since residents and scientists are finding multiple species of birds washing up dead in the region, Sheffield says she tends to think that indicates a larger scale issue going on in the Bering Sea ecosystem.

But, scientists with USFWS and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are still conducting their tests on the seabird carcasses to try to answer that question. Kaler says they are testing for a host of things like infectious diseases such as Avian flu, as well as biotoxins from Harmful Algal Blooms. So far infectious disease seems to have been ruled out for these particular seabirds.

Meanwhile residents of the Bering Strait region continue to rely on the birds and their eggs for subsistence. Ahmasuk says it appears that less harvesting is happening this year.

“So normally my family will go out to Sledge Island and get a cooler full of murre eggs. And I think this year my brother got one…Other communities, like Diomede, had very little egg harvest…So when you combine those two things and think about how that affects everything, then it gets scary.”

The hope was that this summer was going to be an opportunity to shed some light on this mysterious series of die-offs, but now, due to the coronavirus pandemic, essentially no outside research ve... to study the large-scale ecosystem-wide changes.

Sheffield says despite this survey setback, the Bering Strait region won’t be left floundering.

“Lack of scientific data in a region does not mean there’s a lack of knowledge. Our communities in the Bering Strait region utilize the seabirds every year, spring and fall, for food…When people are calling in with information that is not normal, that is immediately a highlight to me that we need to get an answer.”

While the region awaits more test results and answers from the federal agencies, Sheffield encourages Bering Strait residents to report any dead seabirds or unusual observations they find this summer.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkyq7g/why-this-years-locust-inv...

https://www.dailysabah.com/life/environment/dozens-of-dead-seagulls...

Dozens of dead seagulls wash up on Lake Van's shores

AUG 13, 2020 12:10 PM GMT+3

https://www.abc6.com/nearly-5000-fish-found-dead-says-dem/

Nearly 5,000 fish found dead, says DEM

August 15, 2020 5:58 pm

BARRINGTON, R.I (WLNE) – The DEM Marine Fisheries team found around 5,00 dead fish following an inspection of Bullocks and Allen’s Cove.

The DEM received a call about two fish kills and found the near 5,000 fish in a 50-yard stretch.

A marine biologist with the DEM also inspected Apponaug Cove and observed the shoreline was very brown, indicating a thick rust tide bloom.

Although the official cause of death has not been determined, the DEM strongly believes the die-offs relate to low levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the bay because of algae blooms during the recent heatwave.

What would have killed the fish is hypoxia, which is a deficiency of oxygen that reaches the tissues of the body.

Chief Public Affairs Officer Michael Healey said the concentration of DO in surface water is affected by temperature and has both seasonal and daily cycles.

According to Healey, in the summer and fall seasons, when the water temperature is high, it creates the conditions for algae blooms such as a rust tide bloom.

If these become mass blooms, it can quickly consume DO.

A wide variety of species were located including:

• Menhaden
• Mummichog
• Striped Killifish
• American Eel
• Atlantic Silverside
• Northern Kingfish
• Summer Flounder

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-thousands-fish-dead-biscayne-bay.html

Thousands of fish turned up dead in Biscayne Bay. Coral bleaching might be next

August 20 2020

Fish may not be the only victims of the pollution and hot temperatures that drove oxygen to insufficient levels in Biscayne Bay and led to a mortality event that shocked Miami residents last week

Coral reefs in the bay risk bleaching if water conditions don't improve soon, scientists said. Prolonged periods of high ocean temperatures cause coral to expel the algae that live inside them, leaving them more vulnerable to stressors like pollution and a deadly disease that's ravaging reefs in Florida.

"It's a one-two punch for corals," said Chris Langdon, director of the Coral Reefs and Climate Change Laboratory at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. "Heat is breaking records and there's more nutrients flowing into the bay, so we are watching closely for signs of stress on the corals."

Even if the reefs are offshore and not near coastal areas where the recent fish kill happened, worsening conditions in Biscayne Bay could affect the patches of the Florida reef tract that are already under pressure from ocean acidification, dredging and heavy boat traffic, he said.

Early last week, thousands of dead fish were spotted floating in different locations in the northern part of Biscayne Bay as water temperatures reached about 90 degrees and dissolved oxygen dropped to levels that made it impossible for fish to survive. The fish kill was first observed by residents swimming near Morningside Park, and later spread to other parts of the bay.

While environmental authorities tested the water and didn't find evidence of toxic algal blooms, scientists think that chronic pollution and a seagrass die-off a few years ago created the backdrop for a "perfect storm" when temperatures rose very fast. Low wind, which reduced water circulation, and above-average rainfall in the Miami area also increased nutrient discharges from the Little River and other canals that feed into the bay.

Fish kills happen when warmer water and higher salinity levels lead to a drop in dissolved oxygen, especially in shallow areas. If algae blooms occur as a result of increased nutrients in the water, there's more life using the oxygen in addition to fish. At night, when the algae aren't producing oxygen through photosynthesis, the situation can reach critical levels, with fish, algae and all other microorganisms breathing but no oxygen being produced.

story continues...

and another:

  https://newsontheflipside.com/world-news/summer-heatwave-kills-th...

Summer heatwave kills thousands of fish leaving them rotting in sun as environment chiefs battle to stop more deaths

August 19, 2020

• Hundreds of fish were found dead after oxygen levels dropped in Britain’s waters
• Pumps are being brought in by Environment Agency to re-oxygenate the water 
• Officers removed carcasses in five areas, including Surrey and Gloucestershire 
• Oxygen levels in the water are particularly bad when storms follow a heatwave 
• The crisis comes as anglers rush to bankside after easing of lockdown rules 

The summer heatwave has killed thousands of fish, leaving them rotting in the sun as environment chiefs battle to stop more deaths. 

https://www.ktuu.com/2020/08/26/hundreds-of-salmon-found-dead-in-ko...

Hundreds of salmon found dead in Kodiak

Die-offs of salmon before they spawn are becoming more frequent. Here’s why:

Published: Aug. 25, 2020 at 8:15 PM EDT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Over the weekend, Kodiak residents began to notice numerous dead pink salmon in a river popular with fishermen. The Buskin River, located near the Kodiak Airport and a short drive from town, is known for its sockeye and silver salmon runs.

This season, there was a large pink salmon run up the Buskin River, but many were found belly up having died before spawning. Some residents wondered if it was related to a nearby construction site, but Tyler Polum, the Kodiak sportfish biologist with Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said the cause was part of a larger trend seen around the state.

“It looks really consistent with what’s happened the last couple of years in various rivers around here and other places in the state,” Polum said.

The Buskin River was warmer than usual with water around 60 to 65 degrees. Warm water cannot hold as much oxygen as colder water. That, combined with low water levels, reduced the number of fish the river could support.

“It’s pretty likely that the dissolved oxygen in the water just got so low that they died of suffocation basically,” Polum said.

Kodiak Fish and Game observed several hundred fish — mostly pink salmon with some silver salmon, rainbow trout and Dolly Varden mixed in — dead in the river.

August in Kodiak is normally one of the drier months of the year, but meteorologist Kaitlyn O’Brien said this August has seen less rainfall than usual by almost an inch and a half.

“There is a notable decrease in precipitation specifically in what we would normally see in the month of August,” O’Brien said.

Across the island, rivers are exhibiting conditions that lead to salmon mortality, Polum said. In 2018 and 2019, the high water temperature, low water level and low dissolved oxygen level resulted in more salmon deaths in the Buskin River and throughout the state.

Warming waters, warming planet

Last year was a particularly difficult year for salmon migrating up the Koyukuk River with at least 1,364 chum salmon found dead. Peter Westley, an associate professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, studied how the mortality of the chum salmon was related to the 2019 heatwave.

“All of these signs point to these types of events becoming more frequent and potentially of greater magnitude as things warm up,” Westley said. “So in some ways, it’s surprising when it happens, but I think we’re going to get to the point where we are not surprised.”

story continues...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nishandegnarain/2020/08/26/anger-as-de...

Anger As Dead Dolphins Wash Up On Mauritius Beaches A Day After Wakashio Oil Ship Deliberately Sunk

A day after the controversial sinking of the 300m front section of the Japanese-owned oil spill ship, the Wakashio, there is shock and anger in the country as dozens of dead dolphins and porpoises washed up on the beaches of Mauritius earlier today in the Indian Ocean.

There has been not yet been an official statement on the exact cause of death and species, although Government fisheries officials did confirm 17 dolphins had been found on Wednesday 26 August, as the numbers kept rising throughout the day.

Videos and photos have appeared throughout the national media as well as across social media, with several videos showing both heavy oil in the mouth of the dolphin as well as a thin film of oil along the delicate breathing blowholes and skins of the mammals. Videos also emerged showing the desperate efforts to save the mammals who were clearly looking distressed. 

Until now, it had been dead turtles, fish, shellfish, and crabs that had been washing up on shore, and these are the largest marine life to date to be seen directly impacted, 32 days since the Japanese vessel, the Wakashio grounded on Mauritius’ pristine coral reefs, and started spilling ship engine oil from 6 August.

The dolphins washed up along a 2 mile stretch of coast along the bays and shores of Mauritius, 12 miles North from the wreck of the Wakashio.  This stretch has previously been famous for the hundreds of dolphins that could be seen jumping

11 August 2020: the extent of the oil spill within 5 days of the spill starting, could be seen by ... [+]

out of the ocean in the calm morning waters around the edge of the unspoiled barrier reef on that part of the South Eastern coast of the island.

The location of the beaching of the dolphins is much further North than the Government had been concentrating cleanup efforts, despite satellite analysis using SAR that showed that on 11 August (five days after the spill had commenced), traces of the oil spill could be seen 14 miles North by the protected atoll and mangroves of Ile aux Cerfs, less than a mile from where some of the dolphins have now washed up in the village of Quatre Soeurs by the Grand River South East.

Although media and Government sources have reported that the species found are dolphins, it is worth noting that there are several large species of marine mammals in Mauritian waters at this time of year. Cetaceans are the name for the group of ocean mammals commonly known as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. In Mauritius, the most common dolphins are the spinner and bottlenose dolphins. Porpoises are rarer than dolphins. They are considered toothed whales and more closely related to belugas and narwhals, than dolphins. Given the physical features around the beak of the creatures, the videos and photos circulating online appear to indicate that these species may be porpoises, although an official statement from the Government has not yet been released.

article continues...

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/over-2-000-dead-fish-discovered-in-p-e-...

Over 2,000 dead fish discovered in P.E.I. river

https://greece.greekreporter.com/2020/09/02/thousands-of-dead-fish-...

Thousands of Dead Fish Wash Up Onshore Along Northern Greek River

Sept 2 2020

Shocking images emerged of thousands of dead fish washed up along the shores of several bodies of water in Rhodope, a region in Western Thrace, over the weekend.

Veterinary officials from Eastern Macedonia and Thrace located the dead fish in three areas in Lake Ismarida in Rhodope, Lake Vistonida, located between Rhodope and Xanthi, and along the Kompsatos River, which begins in the Rhodope mountains and flows into Lake Vistonida.

Prussian carp, eels, flathead grey mullets, and blue crabs were identified among the dead aquatic life.

According to autopsies conducted on the creatures, as well as tests of the environment from Lake Ismarida, scientists concluded that the mass death was due to increased water temperatures and low oxygen levels in the lake.

No evidence of disease, parasites, or harmful bacteria was found among any of the samples gathered for analysis.

When water temperatures rise, the available oxygen decreases, causing asphyxiation in aquatic life. Scientists note that this particular instance is very troubling, as eels, usually adaptable to low-oxygen levels, were among the dead creatures.

Increased temperatures and low water levels led to a similar phenomenon in Greece’s Kompsatos River. Flow of brackish water from Lake Vistonida caused even more damage to the sensitive fresh-water creatures in the Kompsatos, increasing the numbers of dead fish in the river.

Officials have begun to collect the dead fish from the sites. The fish will be disposed of according to strict safety and hygienic measures. Authorities ensure the public that none of these dead fish have been placed on the Greek market for consumption.

Greece experienced extremely high temperatures last week nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), which is very unusual for this late in the summer.

https://www.brproud.com/news/fish-kill-takes-over-in-lake-charles-a...

Fish kill takes over in Lake Charles after Hurricane Laura

https://www.newsweek.com/yellowstone-river-fish-dead-montana-1529670

Hundreds of Dead Fish Discovered in Yellowstone River

ON 9/4/20 AT 7:55 AM EDT

An investigation has been launched after hundreds of dead fish were found in the Yellowstone River. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) said the cause of death of around 200 fish is yet to be confirmed, but is believed to be the result of a proliferative kidney disease, or PKD, which is caused by a parasite in the water.

Reports of dead fish began at the end of August and since then biologists have been visiting different sections of the river to assess the situation. They found dead mountain whitefish across several sections of the river, which stretches almost 700 miles through Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.

Biologists found 149 dead whitefish over a nine-mile area downstream of Livingston. Seven dead whitefish were found upstream from Big Timber, also over a nine mile stretch. A further 38 were found over 20 miles between the Pine Creek Fishing Access Site and the Highway 89 Bridge Fishing Access Site, upstream from Livingston

PKD outbreaks in the Yellowstone River have been reported several times in recent years. The disease is characterized by severe inflammation of the kidney and anemia. Signs normally only develop after the water temperature goes above 15 degrees Celsius for a prolonged period, the National Park Service says.

In 2016, there was a major outbreak of PKD in the river, with thousands of mountain whitefish dying from the disease. Deaths were recorded between Emigrant and Springdale, Montana, and resulted in the closure of over 180 miles of the river.

The parasite that causes the virus, Tetracapusloides bryosalmonae, was not known to be endemic to Yellowstone River. This caused concerns it had been introduced and that it could spread upstream to Yellowstone National Park. Research that followed the 2016 outbreak showed T. bryosalmonae was widely distributed.

"Many regional rivers had hydrologically stressful conditions similar or worse than the Yellowstone River in 2016, yet there were no documented PKD fish kills," a report by the National Park Service said. "These results...suggest that warm temperatures and low flow conditions cannot alone explain PKD-caused fish kills. This unanticipated die-off further underscores our limited understanding of PKD."

https://heraldcourier.com/news/national/article_64d2af33-f832-5b44-...

Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds found dead in New Mexico. Nobody knows why

• Sep 15, 2020

Biologists at New Mexico State University are trying to find out why hundreds of thousands of migratory birds have been found dead across the state.

The mystery started Aug. 20 with the discovery of a large number of dead birds at the US Army White Sands Missile Range and White Sands National Monument, according to Martha Desmond, a professor at the university's department of fish, wildlife and conservation ecology.

What was first believed to be an isolated incident turned out to be a much more serious problem when hundreds more dead birds were found in regions across the state. including Doña Ana County, Jemez Pueblo, Roswell and Socorro.

"It's just terrible," Desmond told CNN. "The number is in the six figures. Just by looking at the scope of what we're seeing, we know this is a very large event, hundreds of thousands and maybe even millions of dead birds, and we're looking at the higher end of that."

Dead migratory birds -- which include species such as warblers, bluebirds, sparrows, blackbirds, the western wood pewee and flycatchers -- are also being found in Colorado, Texas and Mexico.

Residents and biologists reported seeing birds acting strangely before they died. For example, birds that are normally seen in shrubs and trees have been spotted on the ground looking for food and chasing bugs.

Many were lethargic and unresponsive so they were getting hit by cars, Desmond said, in numbers "larger than ever seen before."

Possible reasons

One of the factors biologists believe may have contributed to the deaths of the birds is the wildfires burning in California and other Western states, which may have forced the birds into early migration before they were ready.

"Birds who migrated before they were ready because of the weather might have not had enough fat to survive," Desmond said. "Some birds might have not even had the reserves to start migrating so they died in place."

Some birds might have had to change their migratory pathways, while others could have inhaled smoke and sustained lung damage.

While the fires and dry weather in New Mexico may have amplified the number of migratory bird deaths, that still leaves many questions.

"We began seeing isolated mortalities in August, so something else has been going on aside the weather events and we don't know what it is. So that in itself is really troubling," she added.

The birds will be sent to the US Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Oregon for necropsies and to determine their cause of death, but it could take weeks to get results.

"This is devastating. Climate charge is playing a role in this." Desmond said. "We lost 3 billion birds in the US since 1970 and we've also seen a tremendous decline in insects, so an event like this is terrifying to these populations and it's devastating to see."

http://www.thebigwobble.org/2020/09/baja-california-sur-mexico-berm...

Wednesday, 16 September 2020

https://www.aspentimes.com/news/local/hundreds-of-dead-birds-in-eag...

Hundreds of dead birds in Eagle County

When nature writer David Gessner published his most recent book Aug. 11, he mourned our disappearing bird populations.

“As I type this, it is being reported that we have almost a third fewer birds in the world than we did in 1970,” Gessner writes. “Take a moment and consider this fact: our birds are disappearing.”

Within weeks of the book’s release, a massive die-off would begin to sweep the western United States, with an uncountable number of birds plummeting from the sky in mid-flight. Ornithologists say hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of birds have been lost over the past month.

Many are realizing now just how widespread the event has been, as social media has helped bird watchers and avian ecologists connect the dots.

“It brings up the question: What else is contributing to the odd behavior we’re seeing in birds, and the large number of deaths we’re seeing in birds? And so it could be related to the fires, some birds may have had to change their migratory routes, they may have been forced to leave early, they may have inhaled smoke and had some damage to their lungs.”Martha DesmondProfessor, New Mexico State University

A Facebook post on Eagle County Classifieds saw more than 75 reports from locals who have seen dead birds near their homes.

“I saw easily a dozen dead songbirds along the Riverwalk bike path and in nearby yards the day after that cold front blew through a week and a half or so ago,” wrote Tim O’Donnell. “The very strong wind was destructive to limbs and trees.”

WILSON’S WARBLER

In Eagle County, the most commonly reported dead bird has been the Wilson’s warbler, which is yellow. Dead yellow-rumped warblers also have been a common sight.

Vail resident David Pleshaw, who photographed a yellow-rumped warbler that had died outside of his home, said the bird felt like it was of a weak composition.

“Seems like it’s just features and bones, not much muscle at all,” Pleshaw said.

And in a separate observation, “Last year at this time, I had those big mosquito bugs at my house by the river,” Pleshaw said. “I haven’t seen any this year.”

Local bird watcher Mark Vodopich has been observing different species of birds in the Eagle River Valley for nearly three decades. He agreed with Pleshaw’s logic.

“Warblers eat insects. They’re not seed eaters,” Vodopich said. “If the cold snap affected their food sources, where they would normally be able to stopover for a day or two and fatten back up, and they can’t do that, then they’re in big trouble.”

Vodopich said he saw a Wilson’s warbler fly into a window and die right in front of him the other day while visiting a home in Lake Creek.

Birds flying into windows was a common thread in the local comments; others reported seeing birds falling from above.

It also sounds like the die-off is not yet over.

“This morning I was driving on I-70 and saw a crow literally drop out of the sky,” local Elizabeth Boles wrote Saturday. “Had to confirm what I saw with my boyfriend.”

‘THEY MAY HAVE INHALED SMOKE’

In other areas of the West, however, the reports of bird die-offs were coming in well before the Sept. 9 to 12 cold snap.

“In August, large numbers of birds were found dead at White Sands Missile Range and at the White Sands National Monument in what was thought to be an isolated incident,” reported the Sun News in Las Cruces, New Mexico. “After that, however, came reports of birds behaving strangely and dying in numerous locations in Doña Ana County, Jemez Pueblo, Roswell, Socorro and other locations statewide. The affected birds have included warblers, sparrows, swallows, blackbirds, flycatchers, and the western wood pewee.”

For ornithologists like Martha Desmond, professor at New Mexico State University’s Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, the fact that the die-off was happening before the cold snap is a disturbing sign.

“We started seeing this before the weather event happened, that in itself is troubling,” Desmond told WBUR Radio. “It brings up the question: What else is contributing to the odd behavior we’re seeing in birds, and the large number of deaths we’re seeing in birds? And so it could be related to the fires, some birds may have had to change their migratory routes, they may have been forced to leave early, they may have inhaled smoke and had some damage to their lungs.”

Desmond is leading the research team documenting the migratory bird die-off in New Mexico and wants to hear about dead birds in Colorado, as well. People with photos are encouraged to start an account at inaturalist.org/projects/southwest-avian-mortality-project to contribute.

“What we’re trying to do is get an idea of the scope, so we have a platform where people can contribute what they’ve seen,” Desmond told the Glenwood Springs Post Independent.

NO 5G IN EAGLE COUNTY, YET

One thing that is not killing the birds over Vail is 5G cellular service in Eagle County. That technology is not yet here.

While the town of Vail has towers that could provide 5G, that level of cellular service is not being utilized in those towers. And on the other side of Dowd Junction, the towers are not yet equipped for 5G.

But as attorney Haley Carmer pointed out to the Avon Town Council at a 5G work session in August, those towers are probably coming soon.

“Taking action now to prohibit installation or make it more difficult to install it would basically just result in the town getting sued,” Carmer said.

Avon IT Manager Robert McKenner said 5G is probably a year away in Eagle County.

“Sprint, right now, is advertising 5G, but there is no 5G in the valley yet,” McKenner said. “Aspen has 5G, and it is coming this way.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/21/hundreds-whales-strande...

Up to 90 whales dead and 180 more stranded off coast of Australia as rescue mission begins

Such a large group has not been seen in Tasmania for more than a decade

Up to 90 whales have died and 180 more are still stranded in a remote bay in southern Australia as a "challenging" rescue operation began on Tuesday.

Scientists said two large pods of long-finned pilot whales became stuck on sandbars in Macquarie Harbour, on Tasmania's rugged and sparsely populated west coast.

Images showed shallow water thick with scores of the large slick-black mammals manoeuvering for space.

Government marine biologist Kris Carlyon said "about a third" of the animals were dead by Monday and rescuing survivors would be a "challenging" task likely to take several days.

Though mass whale strandings occur relatively often in Tasmania, such a large group has not been seen in the area for more than a decade.

The animals are only accessible by boat, limiting the number of rescuers who can reach them.

About 60 people - including volunteers and local fish farm workers - are involved in the rescue attempt.

They are battling cold, wet conditions as well as the harbour's unusual tides which are dictated by barometric pressure.

"In terms of mass whale strandings in Tasmania, this is up there with the trickiest," Carlyon told reporters in the nearby town of Strahan.

However, Carlyon said many of the partially submerged whales should be able to survive for the several days it would take his team to complete the task, in part due to the inclement weather.

"It's pretty ugly for people on the ground but as far as the whales go its ideal - it's keeping them wet, it's keeping them cool," he said.

Carlyon said rescuers would still have to "triage" the whales, prioritising the healthiest and most accessible.

Most of a 30-strong group on a nearby beach were found dead Monday, while about 60 other whales on the sandbars are also believed to have since died.

Once the whales are returned to the water, Carlyon said, the biggest challenge will be herding the social creatures out of the sandbar-riddled harbour and back into the open ocean.

Scientists said it was unclear what caused the latest stranding, but have suggested the pod may have gone off track after feeding close to the shoreline or by following one or two whales that strayed.

The latest stranding comes as a humpback whale that was stuck in a tropical river in Australia's ... after more than two weeks.

Public broadcaster ABC reported the creature, which spent 17 days in the crocodile-infested waters of Kakadu National Park, has been spotted in open seas off Darwin.

Scientists had been weighing options for guiding the humpback to safety after it became the first known whale to travel up the muddy river, but were relieved when it returned to sea on its own.

https://www.rt.com/russia/501308-birds-fall-from-sky-russia/

Apocalyptic scene in nuclear Russian city as birds fall from sky & lie scattered around streets (VIDEO)

http://www.thebigwobble.org/2020/10/whats-up-with-birds-turtle-dove...

10 October 2020

Or the 1,500 birds who for some reason flew into some of Philly’s tallest skyscrapers one-day last week. The slaughter shook bird-watchers to the core. The Philidelphia Enquirer

https://www.wsfltv.com/news/national/large-numbers-of-dead-birds-ha...

Large numbers of dead birds have been found all over parts of the Southwest U.S., say researchers

https://www.lifegate.com/kamchatka-ecological-disaster

Kamchatka, an ecological disaster is causing mass death of marine wildlife

13 October 2020

Toxic substances in Kamchatka’s waters have killed 95% of marine fauna and caused health problems for surfers. The causes, however, are still unknown.

Over the past few weeks, the sea surrounding the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia‘s far east has been coated in a yellowish foam. Beaches are littered with dead animals and several surfers have fallen ill. The causes of this ongoing environmental disaster are still unknown. Some speak of natural causes, some blame a pesticide waste plant and others say it could be related to Russian missiles from nearby military facilities.

95 per cent of marine animals have died

The peninsula, Khalaktyrsky beach in particular, is a small paradise for surfers. In recent years, some of the best in the world have hit the waves along these shores. Around mid-September local surfers started noticing that something wasn’t right. “Usually we feel good after a day of surfing, but that time our eyes were burning,” a surfer told the BBC. “It was difficult to simply look a few feet ahead”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCyXz5NsXFs&feature=emb_logo

As the days went by, the situation became more severe. Surfers started reporting vomiting, fever, coughing, and problems with their eyes and skin. Some developed lesions on their corneas and eleven people were hospitalised. The bodies of dead marine wildlife started piling up the beaches and seafloor: seals, octopuses, sea urchins, crabs and fish. “95 percent are dead,” Ivan Usatov of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve said during a meeting with other scientists and Kamchatka governor Vladimir Solodov. “Some large fish, shrimps and crabs have survived, but in very small numbers”. However, even these animals are at risk as they’ll likely be poisoned by eating the carcasses of infected ones.

The search for answers in Kamchatka

Kamchatka’s government has launched an investigation and a team of researchers has started collecting and analysing samples of seawater as well as from local rivers. The sand will also be examined, and some of the dead animals will be studied to try to understand what substances caused this disaster. Meanwhile, drones have been deployed throughout the region to try to find the source of pollution.

Russia’s Environment Minister Dmitrij Kobylkine claims that the ongoing disaster is due to natural causes. “After the storms, there was an increase in microorganism toxicity in the region, causing changes to oxygen levels,” he declared. This version has been refuted by other organisations who instead view human activity as the cause.

The regional Environment Minister Aleksej Kumarkov stated that the pollution could be the consequence of a leak of oil products from a passing commercial tanker. Other experts suggest the toxic waste facility in Kozelsk could have played a role in the tragedy. Approximately 108 tonnes of pesticides are stored at the plant located not far from the affected areas. A few weeks ago, news emerged of damage to some of the facility’s protective structures.

Biologist Vladimir Burkanov believes this storage plant could have contributed to the ecological disaster, but he also points the finger at the Radygino military base. Located ten kilometres away from the affected beaches, its old deposits of ultra-toxic missile fuel could have been damaged, leading to a discharge of materials.

https://www.wthr.com/article/life/animals/thousands-of-dead-seal-pu...

Thousands of dead seal pups wash ashore in west Africa

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/18823561.dead-dolphins-seal-wash-...

Dead dolphins and seal wash ashore at Chesil Beach, Portland

10-27-2020

"Every storm brings in a pile of litter which is a threat to wildlife on beaches around the UK," he said. "However it is a threat to wildlife when it is in the sea as well."

Residents have flooded social media with comments following the discovery of the dolphins and animals, describing the scenes as 'heartbreaking'.

Anyone who finds a marine mammal washed up should report it as soon as possible by calling Dorset Wildlife Trust on 01305 264620 or emailing kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk.

It is helpful if you can include a photograph of the animal but do not touch it as they can carry diseases.

DEAD dolphins, a seal and sea birds have washed up on a Portland beach, along with piles of litter and debris, among strong winds.

At least three dolphin carcasses and what is reported to be one or more dead seals were spotted washed ashore Chesil Beach before being dragged back out to sea by rough waves. A sea bird was also spotted on the beach with its wing trapped in rope.

Wyke Regis resident Dave Taylor spotted the distressing sight at around 2pm yesterday whilst walking on Chesil Beach, opposite Quiddles restaurant.

Mr Taylor said: There were several dead dolphins in various states.

"The dead bird made me sad as you can actually see cause of death as its wing is wrapped in rope.

"The sea is awash with boat waste. 'Sammy' the Weymouth seal had fishing line wrapped around him a few weeks back and I found a gull over at the Fleet tangled up in line with lead fishing weights attached. Luckily someone took him home as I had the dogs. It's so sad."

Mr Taylor said people on Chesil Beach said they had seen a dead seal, but that it was hard to tell due to the amount of rubbish washed up on the beach.

Yesterday Dorset Wildlife Trust said it is aware of dead sea mammals including dolphins and seals in the water at Chesil Beach.

Marc Kativu-Smith, manager at the Dorset Wildlife Trust Chesil Beach Centre, is keeping a close eye on the situation.

He said: "We've been alerted to a number of dead mammals believed to be dolphins and a seal floating in the water just off Chesil Beach.

"We're unable to comment on the cause of death until they wash ashore. We will investigate and report any concerns to the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP), which looks into the causes of death of cetaceans around the country.

"The Natural History Museum may also come down and investigate."

He added that litter on beaches is of 'major concern' and that the organisation holds regular beach cleans to tackle the issue.

"Every storm brings in a pile of litter which is a threat to wildlife on beaches around the UK," he said. "However it is a threat to wildlife when it is in the sea as well."

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/11/14/why-are-swans-turning-up/

Why are swans turning up dead in Utah? Experts believe the birds fell from the sky.

Nov 15 2020

and another:

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/7014955/23-magpies-found-dead-in...

23 magpies found dead in Ramsgate street

The NSW Environment Protection Authority is investigating after 23 magpies were found dead in Clarkes Road, Ramsgate.

"We don't know how poison got into their system but magpies are meat-eaters so it could have been a bait which could also attack family pets or children in public areas."

and another:

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/fears-seagulls-been-pois...

Fears seagulls may have been poisoned after group of birds mysteriously die within feet of each other on Camden Street

Nov 16 2020

The council's biodiversity team has removed the dead birds and post mortem examinations are due to be held

Wildlife chiefs are trying to figure out how three seagulls who were found within feet of each other on a busy city centre street have died.

The gulls were discovered dead near a pedestrian crossing on Camden Street this morning

Strangely, the birds did not appear to have been hit by a car, leading to fears that they may have died in a sinister way.

A concerned Dublin Live reader contacted us this morning after coming across the distressing sight.

She asked: "What's happening our seagulls?"

That's a mystery that Dublin City Council's biodiversity team are trying to figure out.

When contacted by Dublin Dublin Live, a team spokeswoman told us they would be sending a team to the street to remove the bodies.

She added that the council will be liaising with the National Parks and Wildlife Service about the highly unusual deaths.

It is likely that post mortem examinations will be carried out on the gulls to determine if they have been poisoned.

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/people/thousands-dead-fish-foun...

Thousands of dead fish found in Milton Keynes lake

Dog walkers have been warned to keep their pets out of an MK lake after thousands of fish have mysteriously died.

Nov 16 2020

https://www.fox46.com/news/local-news/mystery-as-25-birds-found-dea...

Mystery as 25 birds found dead in Huntersville neighborhood

Bird rescuers concerned about mass die-off of little blue penguins ...

Bird rescuers concerned about mass die-off of little blue penguins

Nov 25 2020

A bird rescue group is worried that a mass die-off of Little Blue Penguins that has happened before could reoccur this summer.

Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Baby Found Dead - ...

Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Baby Found Dead in North Carolina

Nov. 25, 2020 01:07PM EST

An extremely rare North Atlantic right whale calf was found dead off the North Carolina coast on Friday.

https://strangesounds.org/2020/12/brood-x-cicada-usa-insect-plague....

cicada brood x expected to return in May 2021. Picture: cicada mania

While the rest of the world is battling biblical locust plagues, Brood X will unleash billions of cicadas in the US in 2021.

Are you ready for these billions of big, incredibly loud cicadas?

What is Brood X?

Cicadas emerge from the ground in the eastern United States every year.

And once every 17 years, a truly out-of-this-world phenomenon called “Brood X” takes place bringing “a massive brood of cicadas in the mid-Atlantic and Midwest, filling the air with a deafening mating hum that can reach up to 100 decibels.“

Also known as the “Great Eastern Brood,” this insect infestation is set to return in May 2021 for about a month or so.

Brood X (‘x’ meaning 10) is the name for the big generation of cicadas due in the spring of 2021, just as in 2004 and 1987.

The coming Brood 10 is the most widespread and prolific of the known generations. Through history, it has appeared as far west as Missouri, as far south as Georgia, as far north as Michigan and as far east as Long Island, New York.

Brood X is endemic to much of Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and Eastern Tennessee. Map by USDA Forest Service

Why is Brood X showing up once every 17 years?

Why do cicadas only show up in 17-year cycles when most insects make annual apearances?

Scientific studies on cicadas have shown that if the temperature lingers too long below 68 degrees, it gets too cold for cicadas to mate and survive.

Then to survive cold summers, they stay underground. Moreover, the less often cicadas emerge from the earth, the lower their odds of being wiped out by an unusually cold summer.

So why only every 17 years?

It is unknown… , but scientists have a few theories:

• The unusual, prime-numbered lifecycle prevents generations of cicadas from run-ins with the lifecycles of wasps that prey on them.
• Prime-numbered cycle reduce the likelihood that 17-year cicadas will mate and hybridize with cicadas of different species or generations.

Why are there so many cicadas?

It’s because of predation! Once a cicada emerges above ground, it faces no shortage of predators (birds, reptiles, fish, spiders, wasps and even household pets).

Cicadas are also big, slow and don’t fly especially well. So the only defense cicadas have against extinction is their sheer numbers.

What should you do to prepare for the swarm?

There will be billions of them! So let’s be honest, you will not avoid them!

The good news are that cicadas won’t decimate crops like locusts do, aren’t poisonous and don’t spread disease. And if you are adventurous enous, cicadas are a good source of proteins.

Cicada danger for trees

However, cicadas can be a threat for young trees. So don’t plant any fruit trees around your house next spring “because these trees are going to simply get hammered next year when those cicadas show up,” said University of Maryland entomologist Mike Raupp.

If you’ve recently planted a tree, like in 2020, it’s not too late to save it from the coming swarm. Cover your young trees with fine netting net sizes (<1cm) by the middle or end of April. This will keep the cicadas from laying their eggs in the branches.

How long does cicada Brood X last?

Brood X will die-off after mating and laying eggs in the branches of trees. The cicadas that hatch in 2021 will drop to the ground and burrow into the earth for 17 years. There, they’ll feed on the fluids in tree roots until they emerge to breed in May 2038.

Something Fishy Happening In Miami As Thousands Of Koi Suddenly Die 

Something fishy is happening in Miami as thousands of pricy koi fish have turned up dead at several homes and a city park. It's more than fish, birds, plants, and wild raccoons are mysterious dying, according to local news WPLG Local 10. 

The epicenter of the thousands of dead koi is happening in Coconut Grove, a shoreline neighborhood in Miami bordering Biscayne Bay. Homeowners in the community report thousands of their fish have "all of a sudden died." 

"We're not talking about a couple of fish or even hundreds of fish. We're talking about thousands of fish that, all of a sudden, have turned up dead," said WPLG. 

No one seems to know why the koi are suddenly dying. What's troubling is the sudden death of the fish is happening across the neighborhood. 

Resident Lee Marks woke up Saturday morning to koi and other exotic fish dead in his pond. 

"All these beautiful coy fish and other fish just dead," he said. "It's just awful. It's horrible."

Marks and other residents are demanding answers as to why their fish in backyard ponds are dying. 

"They just all don't die at once like that," he said.

Pond Doctors, a Miami-based company focused on maintaining private ponds, told WPLG their crews have responded to "devastating fish kills" at four homes in the Coconut Grove neighborhood in the last two weeks. 

"Thousands of fish have turned up dead from one day to the next, all in the same area," said Jen Wheeler, the owner of Pond Doctors.

"To have them suddenly pass away for some unknown reason is really scary because you also start to think what else is this affecting," Wheeler said. "Other than the fish that we are in love with."

WPLG adds it's more than fish. Local wildfire is also mysterious dying, including birds, plants, and mammals. 

Marks said a raccoon convulsed and died in his yard. 

"It came up right up the driveway and turned on its side," Marks said. "It looked like it might be playful, but it was convulsing and just died."

Wheeler said the oxygen levels in all the neighborhood ponds were normal and serviced regularly. 

"To have so many animals affected by this, something is going on," she said.

Wheeler called Miami-Dade County to see if mosquito companies had recently sprayed in the area. The answer local government officials gave her was that spraying last occurred in 2017. 

Dead fish have also turned up in Miami's Simpson Park. The common theme with all these ponds is the source of water is connected to a local aquifer. 

"We're still trying to figure out what's in the groundwater and what is causing it," Wheeler said.

The "canary in the coal mine" is the sudden death of koi and other animals and how something toxic could be lurking in the area's aquifer.

Source:  https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/something-fishy-happening-miami-t...

https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/authorities-respond-to-fatal-bear...

by NBC Montana Staff

Tuesday, July 6th 2021

Florida breaks manatee death record in first six months of 2021

How To Understand The Signals From Animals Just Before A Natural Disaster Strikes

https://www.askaprepper.com/how-to-understand-the-signals-from-anim...

https://washingtonnewsday.com/us-politics/a-12-year-old-boy-was-inj...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-pack-of-usually-placid-river-ot...

A pack of usually-placid river otters started attacking people in Alaska, and nobody understands why

mguenot@businessinsider.com (Marianne Guenot) - 3h ago

© Katherine Frey/The Washington Post/Getty ImagesA North American River Otter in a file photo. Katherine Frey/The Washington Post/Getty Images

River otters are usually peaceful animals - but a spate of attacks in Anchorage, Alaska, has put local people on edge.

Three attacks have been reported in the area, an unusual occurrence for the animals, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said in a statement on Friday.

The first reported attack took place on September 1, according to Anchorage Daily News, and saw a nine-year-old boy sustain four bite wounds on his legs.

Nine-year-old Ayden Fernandez and his brother were filming a pack of four otters in a duck pond in East Anchorage.

One of them broke off from the pack and starting chasing the boys, per Anchorage Daily News.

"That's when they all started running. One caught up to my 9-year-old and he got attacked," his mother, Tiffany Fernandez told the Anchorage Daily News.

Fernandez said her boy had two puncture marks on one of his thighs and one on the front side of each leg, per Anchorage Daily News.

"It could have been that the otters felt threatened, but it doesn't appear to me these kids did anything wrong," said Dave Battle, an area wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Otters are fairly territorial and can become aggressive if animals confront them.

But Battle didn't see anything in the children's behavior that could have provoked the attack, per Anchorage Daily News.

"I think they were keeping a respectful distance, they were just watching the otters from a distance, and for some reason, the otter ran up and just wanted to chase this kid down," said Battle.

Two other attacks took place last week, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

• one was on an unnamed woman who was trying to rescue her dog from the otters,
• the second in which the otters attacked a dog.

It is not clear whether the same pack of otters is responsible for all three attacks, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said in the statement.

Battle, the Department's biologist, guessed that "it probably is" the same pack.

"It's such unusual behavior. It would be unlikely that multiple groups in the same city would suddenly start exhibiting the same type of behavior," per Anchorage Daily News.

The pack is made up of four animals, three male otters and a female with her young.

While otter attacks have been reported before in the area, they are rare, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said.

A peer-reviewed paper from 2011 published in the IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group bulletin reported that of 39 anecdotal reports of otter attacks, several were because the animals had rabies.

Other reports suggested the territorial animals had felt threatened by humans encroaching on their habitat, although the study authors noted that otters can be peaceful to humans if left alone.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game said it would identify and remove the animals from the pack.

Any animals killed in the process will be tested for rabies, although no cases of rabies have been reported in river otters in that part of Alaska recently, the officials said.

The stench of death’: California city plagued by extraordinary odor

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-stench-of-death-california-ci... (Published Oct. 29,2021)

Lakesia Livingstone was driving back to her home in Carson, California, in early October after watching her son play football when she was hit with an overpowering stench. “It was like a rotten egg smell, horrible, very strong,” Livingstone says. “I thought, oh my God, something is going on.”

That smell has now lasted four weeks, creating chaos for residents of Carson, a city in Los Angeles county. The extraordinary stink – which has been described as “the stench of death”– is coming from a nearby canal where authorities say decomposing vegetation is sending off plumes of hydrogen sulfide gas.

The Carson city council has declared a local state of emergency, but frustrated residents say it’s taking too

ong to fix a problem that’s more than a nuisance – it’s making them physically unwell.

“It’s not just an odor. An odor does not make you physically sick, with headaches, respiratory problems, and rashes,” says Ana Meni, a lifetime Carson resident who worked for the city for 25 years.

Livingstone has also experienced health problems. When she’d take walks in the evening, which she does to combat high blood pressure, she experienced pounding headaches, fatigue and nausea. She would lose her appetite and sleep for 10 hours straight. Her symptoms got so bad that she went to her doctor for anti-nausea medication. The doctor told her: “You’re going to have to get out of there if you’re feeling so badly.”

The county is working to fix the problem, and says the gas levels are starting to decline. They are aerating the canal, known as the Dominguez Channel, injecting oxygen into the water and spraying deodorizer on the canal to reduce the stench.

So far, the city of Carson, along with LA county, has relocated more than 1,300 residents, including Meni and Livingstone, to hotel rooms due to the odor. Hundreds more have left the area on their own dime, Meni says.

She says it took her a few days after leaving Carson to realize how groggy she had been, running fans all the time to try and keep the smell out of her home. “My voice is a little froggy, I have my throat tightening up, even now, I don’t have medical coverage, my breathing isn’t normal,” she says.

Meni is running for city clerk, and the election is next Tuesday, but she has been focusing on meeting with displaced residents and organizing through a Facebook page that now has 3,300 members. Residents in the group have likened the smell to “the stench of death” and “The Walking Dead”.

“The way this is going, we are not getting clear answers other than they are bringing the smell down,” she says. “I could be sitting next to a toxic dump, and if you Febreeze it to death, you take the smell away but it’s still toxic.”.."

#Mexico: Hundreds of dead fish appear on Palmares Beach in the city of Puerto Vallarta.. Fishermen indicated that it is not common to see these species near the beach, since they would be fish that live in the depths. 01/18/2022

https://www.facebook.com/582879342383905/posts/922075248464311/

Hampton Inn hotel: 7 in critical condition after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning

Marysville OH

At least seven people were transported from Hampton Inn hotel in Marysville, US, to hospitals in a critical condition on Saturday night due to a hazardous materials incident in the pool area, it has been reported

Seven people are in hospital in a critical condition after a suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at a hotel, it has been reported.

A two-year-old girl was found unconscious in a pool at Hampton Inn hotel in Marysville, while others fell seriously ill after being overcome by the deadly gas.

The first 911 call came around 5.30pm local time, Marysville Police Chief Tony Brooks said.

Emergency calls were made to police and ambulance services, with people reporting they felt dizzy or had a burning sensation in their throats.

The hotel was evacuated as emergency services rushed to the scene and the Marysville Fire and Police Departments are working to identify what happened.

A huge emergency service operation was launched after reports of carbon monoxide poisoning Image: (REUTERS)

Everyone was alive when they were transported to the hospital but their current conditions are not yet known, Chief Brooks said.

Two more people took themselves to hospital, but are not believed to be in a serious condition, it is understood.

The ages of those affected are not currently known.

Chief Brooks added that whether there was a chemical in the pool area or a carbon monoxide leak is still under investigation.

The updated conditions or ages of those affected has yet to be released at this time.

According to a tweet from Ohio-based journalist Mike McCarthy, a multitude of people received medical care on the scene.

He wrote on Twitter: "At least 16 people have received medical care. 7 people are in critical condition. 2 people were treated at the scene. Others are in stable condition or were walk-in patients at Memorial Hospital."

Source:  https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/breaking-hampton-inn-hotel-se...

10,000 Cattle Die in Kansas Heat Wave – Adding More Pressure on Food Prices

Over 10,000 head of cattle have reportedly died in the recent Kansas heat wave.

Source  https://foxmetronews.com/news/10000-cattle-die-in-kansas-heat-wave-...

Kansas has a lot of earthquake activity and so it is reasonable to suppose that methane release is a contributor of such a huge death rate. Here's a link to Kansas quake activity:

https://earthquaketrack.com/p/united-states/kansas/recent

https://www.kcci.com/article/five-great-danes-attack-kill-owner-in-...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/hundreds-of-whales-wash-up-on-...

Hundreds more whales have washed up in another mystery mass stranding on a New Zealand island, known to be surrounded by large numbers of sharks.

A picture shows another mass stranding that occurred in Tasmania, Australia in September. Pilot whales are particularly prone to stranding.© GLENN NICHOLLS/Getty

Up to 250 pilot whales could have been involved in the stranding that occurred in the Chatham Islands, on Pitt Island, according to stranded whale rescue organization Project Jonah.

The stranding comes shortly after another mass stranding occurred to the northwest of Chatham Island, where 215 pilot whales passed away. It takes the number of stranded whales in the area to 500, all within a few days.

Cetacean strandings—when marine mammals wash up on beaches—happen globally. The phenomenon is common, although scientists do not know why they occur.

Occasionally, we see mass strandings, where a huge number of cetaceans strand at once. Pilot whales are among the species most affected by this phenomenon, along with other types of dolphin.

According to the Department of Conservation, the Chatham Islands are a "stranding hot spot" for whales, with nearly half of the whale strandings in New Zealand occur here.

It is not yet clear how many whales survived the latest incident, but it is likely some will be euthanized. This is due to the remoteness of the area.

"This is an incredibly isolated and remote part of the world, with a small population and known for great white sharks, which pose risk to both people and whales," Project Jonah said on a Facebook post.

Wildlife officials have been sent to the area to initiate rescue efforts. Project Jonah said it will post updates when they become available.

"Whale strandings remain a mystery. We don't exactly know why whales and dolphins do this," Wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta of the Marine Predator Research Group at Macquarie University, told Newsweek.

"Several factors might be at play here, e.g. mis-navigation, spooked by something, following a sick leader. There might be many more reasons.

"Pilot whales are social and can be found in large pods at times. Unfortunately, the clock starts ticking when a whale/dolphin strands, the longer they are out of water, the less chance they have at being released. Even if released, there's always a chance they might re-strand," Pirotta said.

Scientists have noticed that certain coastal areas are more prone to mass strandings than others. It is not clear why, but experts have previously suspected that pods can become disorientated in these areas.

Culum Brown, professor at the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie University told Newsweek that pilot whales appear to be drawn into specific locations that "probably lots of food available."

But then, they are caught out by shifting tides.

"Mass strandings often happen at the same location multiple times, often years apart which strongly suggests they are attracted to these locations for a reason. Once they are stranded they can get re-stranded when they are freed," Brown said.

"This happens because the stranded animals attract the rest of the pod. If the pod is not willing to leave the area because their mates are stuck, that puts the rest of the pod in danger of stranding as well. It's a kind of negative feedback loop."

Brown said pilot whales strong social bonds can be at their disadvantage in this scenario.

"Pilot whales are often found in pods consisting of hundreds of individuals and big pods can also merge to become super-pods. The social bonds are very strong and while this works to their advantage in some contexts, its a big problem in the context of stranding," Brown said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/fishermen-fear-imminent-earthq...

Mexican fishermen are warning of imminent disaster after catching the "earthquake fish."

© Bryon Houlgrave/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK© Provided by Athlon Sports

The deep sea dwelling oarfish, or "earthquake fish", resides deep below the ocean's surface, which is why none of us have ever heard of it.  

However, Japanese mythology suggests these hideous creatures only rise to the surface to beach themselves in a ritualistic suicide of sorts warning land dwellers of imminent disaster.  

Hideous Earthquake Fish© Provided by Athlon Sports

Earthquake fish are the world's largest bony fish with the maximum length of 56-feet.  

The rare catch took place off the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico, where its captors tossed their prize in a pick up truck bed laughing and pointing as the fish flailed back and forth gasping for life.  

"Silver in color, footage of the monster has emerged showing it on the back of a truck in Sinola, Mexico, on October 5. With a long flat body, it looks like it’s part snake, part fish, and part eel. It is in fact a deep-sea oarfish, a monster used to operate in the low-light world between 200 and 1000 meters below sea level."

This catch being the second in just a couple weeks, I suggest we all Drop, Cover and Hold On! 

Bizarre behaviour: 

Orcas kill 17 sharks in one day after the 2 whales already wrecked Cape Town food chain

Two terrifying orcas have become adept at tearing sharks' livers from their bellies to feast on the oil-rich organ before leaving the rest of the carcass.

Two orcas went on a killing spree, killing and tearing open 17 sharks in one day off the coast of South Africa. Marine conservationists named the killer whales Port and Starboard after they upended the food chain in the waters off Cape Town. The hunters that terrorise even the most fearsome sharks have now moved on to hunt dinosaur sharks after decimating the great white population.

According to researchers from the Marine Dynamics Academy, the hunters have torn open every single shark and extracted their liver - a highly nutritious organ rich in nutrients and oil.

Due to the liver's abundance of squalene, a substance essential for the synthesis of hormones, experts think Port and Starboard are feasting on the organ.

Their modus operandi is forcing the sharks to the surface, flipping them over, and then biting into their stomachs to remove the buoyant and oil-rich liver, while leaving the other organs unharmed.

For generations, people have used shark's liver oil as a folk treatment to help wounds heal faster and to treat digestive and respiratory issues. Further claims have been made that it can heal diseases like cancer, HIV, radiation sickness, swine flu, and the common cold in addition to its current promotion as a nutritional supplement.

Read more:  https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1740354/orcas-kill-17-sharks-w...

Gigantic 5,000-mile blanket of rotting seaweed dubbed the 'red tide' which is TWICE the length of the US and can be seen from space invades the coast of Florida - as residents report burning eyes and trouble breathing

Florida's southwest coast is experiencing a flare-up of the toxic red tide algae setting off concerns that it could continue to stick around for a while

Residents are complaining about burning eyes and breathing problems. Dead fish have washed up on beaches. A beachside festival has been canceled, even though it wasn't scheduled for another month.

Florida's southwest coast is experiencing a flare-up of the toxic red tide algae setting off concerns that it could continue to stick around for a while. The current bloom started in October.

The annual BeachFest in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, sponsored by a homeowners' association, was canceled after it determined, with help from the city and the Pinellas County Health Department, that red tide likely would continue through the middle of next month when the festival was scheduled.

The toxic red tide algae has mainly been affecting Florida's southwest coast forcing the closure of some beaches

Nearly two tons of debris, mainly dead fish, were cleared from Pinellas County beaches and brought to the landfill, county spokesperson Tony Fabrizio told the Tampa Bay Times. 

About 1,000 pounds of fish have been cleared from beaches in St. Pete Beach since the start of the month, Mandy Edmunds, a parks supervisor with the city, told the newspaper.

'I cannot say when it's going to go away,' Bob Weisberg, the former director of the University of South Florida's Ocean Circulation Lab, told the Tampa Bay Times. 'It could very well be that this thing may linger.' 

Red tide, a toxic algae bloom that occurs naturally in the Gulf of Mexico, is worsened by the presence of nutrients such as nitrogen in the water. 

Red tides have been appearing along Florida's Gulf Coast as far back as the 1840s, state officials say but scientists still find it hard to predict when they will appear.

The red tide is causing dead marine life across Gulf of Mexico beaches to wash ashore by the thousands everyday

Officials have cleaned up an 600 tons of dead fish, much of it from the St. Petersburg area, but are still working to remove more - and say 'there's no end in sight

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is warning people to not swim in or around red tide waters over the possibility of skin irritation, rashes and burning and sore eyes. 

The microscopic algae also take a toll on the fish, eels, birds and other marine species that it kills.

Since last Monday, workers have removed two tons of ocean debris – mostly dead fish.

Other species have been killed too including a loggerhead sea turtle and a manatee found dead that were found dead in Boca Ciega Bay.

People with asthma or lung disease should avoid beaches affected by the toxic algae.

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11852089/Gigantic-5-000-mi...

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Menindee: Millions of dead fish wash up near Australian town

"There's about 30 kilometres of dead fish," local resident Graeme McCrabb told the BBC

Texas Gulf Coast Beach Covered As Thousands Of Dead Fish Wash Ashore

According to officials, beach crews spent the weekend clearing a substantial quantity of deceased fish along the Texas Gulf Coast.

The unexpected phenomenon began on Friday when a large number of fish started washing ashore due to what Quintana Beach County Park described as “a low dissolved oxygen event” in a Facebook post. The influx of fish continued throughout Saturday, but by Sunday morning, it seemed that the final remnants had made their way onto the beach.

Park authorities noted that the most recent fish carcasses had deteriorated to the extent that they resembled fragmented skeletons. The majority of the deceased fish were identified as Gulf menhaden.

Quintana Beach County Park

As the fish kill persisted, officials issued advisories urging people to refrain from swimming in the area due to elevated bacterial levels and the potential danger posed by the sharp fins of the deceased fish. Water samples collected from the affected region indicated a significant depletion of dissolved oxygen, Quintana Beach County Park said. No evidence suggesting a chemical release has been found.

Read more:  https://breaking911.com/photos-texas-gulf-coast-beach-covered-as-th...

Whale experts probe UK's worst fatal mass stranding on Lewis, Scotland

The whales stranded on Lewis will be moved to a landfill in Stornoway for post-mortem examinations

August 3rd, 2023-Boise, Idaho -  Methane column ignited by lightening.

Nearly 1,000 migrating birds died after crashing into Chicago building

Workers at the Chicago Field Museum inspect the bodies of migrating birds that were killed when they flew into the windows of the McCormick Place Lakeside Center.

Nearly 1,000 birds died late last week after flying into a Chicago convention center during their migratory journey south.

964 birds crashed into McCormick Place Lakeside Center, a mostly glass building located on the shore of Lake Michigan just south of downtown Chicago.

Douglas Stotz, a conservation ecologist with the Chicago-based Field Museum, called Wednesday evening the biggest night of migration Chicago had seen in the last century.

"In one night we had a year's worth of death," he told NPR, noting that typically, between 1,000 and 2,000 birds die each year from flying into the building.

The Field Museum monitors the building for dead or injured birds.

Before getting to work on Thursday morning, Stotz saw what he described as "clouds of birds" in the sky.

"We check McCormick Place daily during migration to pick up dead birds and to release ones that are still alive," he said. "When I went into the museum, it was way beyond what I could have imagined."

He said the previous number of birds killed in a single day flying into the convention center was close to 200 to 300 birds.

Read more: https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-10-09/nearly-1-000-migrating-birds...

Locusts swarm in biblical proportions sparking 'apocalypse' fears - 'end of times' Cancun, Mexico

Locusts infest Yucatán State, Mexico. (Image: Jam Press)

Terrifying images show Biblical swarms of locusts invading the sky in a scene which caused panic among residents.

For decades, prophets have pointed to symbols indicating the end of the world is near.

And while dead rising from their tombs and a red mist descending are common, a swarms of insects - specifically locusts - filling the sky are perhaps the most persuasive image of the end of times.

That is what caused locals in Merida, near Cancun in Mexico, to become so terrified as a swarm of locusts filled the sky, turning it black.

Video grab - Locusts infest Yucatán State, Mexico. (Image: Jam Press )

In response to the fear, the State Rural Development Secretariat (SEDER) announced they were monitoring the situation and initiating extermination measures.

SEDER reassured locals that the locusts were a "remnant" from a polluted area in a nearby jungle and predicted they would leave the city within two days.

They plan to observe where the insects settle at night, hopefully in a remote area, and implement "control protocols" in the early morning hours. One local exclaimed: "It's the end of times. Repent."

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/1843632/locusts-apocalypse-mex...

Walkers are warned to stay away from three 60ft sperm whales washed up on beaches in the North of England - because the carcasses may explode

Beach walkers have warned to stay away from the bodies of three 60ft sperm whales washed ashore from the North Sea - amid fears the carcasses could explode and cover them in entrails.

The carcasses of two sperm whales are stranded on the banks of the Humber Estuary near Spurn Point in East Yorkshire, while another is lying on Humberston Fitties beach in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.

They are attracting the attention of sightseers, who are being urged not to get too close.

Experts say toxic gases will be building up inside the dead whales. As the corpses expand like balloons, the slightest touch could set them off like powder kegs. 

As well as the explosion risk, there are deadly mudflats around the carcasses.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said conditions around the whales were ‘extremely dangerous’.

The carcasses of two sperm whales are stranded on the banks of the Humber Estuary near Spurn Point in East Yorkshire, while another is lying on Humberston Fitties beach in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire

Mud and reed beds are making the whales inaccessible and BDMLR is urging caution.

In a statement, it said “Network signal is poor and if anyone got in difficulty it puts strain on rescue agencies if they are having to save members of public from the mud, which could be avoided.

“Relevant agencies are aware of the whales’ location and we trust that the general public will remain safe and sensible.

“It is not known at this time what the cause of death is or factors that may have influenced the stranding.

“It is nonetheless sad to see. Sperm whales are a deep diving species that struggle to feed in the relatively shallow North Sea.”

Adult sperm whales can grow to 60ft in length and weigh almost 50 tons.

The species has been known to wash ashore on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Elyse Perry captured a video showing a whale being thrown about by waves before it beached itself on Venice Beach, Florida, US.

She says that authorities and aid could not help the whale due to the rough water and harsh conditions.

She said: "The waters were too rough and weather conditions made it too difficult to aid the whale.

"It's all very sad.

"I'm very curious to see what they find after testing."

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13192603/Walkers-warned-st...

Millions of transparent blob-like creatures are washing ashore on the West Coast due to warming oceans... do YOU know what they are?

Millions of bizarre blob-like creatures have been washing up on West Coast beaches in recent years due to warming waters caused by climate change.

The gelatinous, transparent mases have been found along the coasts of northern California and Oregon, and sometimes as far as Alaska, but typically live in warm seas - and at great depths.

Now, scientists at Oregon State University found these pyrosomes or ‘sea pickles’ are appearing in droves due to a major marine heatwave that started in 2013 - marking the first time the animals have been seen in 25 years.

Pyrosomes do not provide an adequate food source for other species because 98 percent of their waste ends up on the sea floor

Pyrosomes feed off phytoplankton which is the basis of marine food webs that provide food for a wide range of sea creatures, but the growing number of sea pickles means there isn’t enough to go around.

These creatures can grow from just a few centimeters up to 60 feet long and resemble a pink tube with rigid bumps coating its body. 

Pyrosomes are colonies of thousands of animals called zooids that form in a hollow tube that can grow large enough for a human to fit through.

The marine animals have a gene called luciferase which produces light and when it reacts with the a luminescent chemical, it sends the light up and down the tube, allowing it to see several yards in front of it.

They can also reproduce through asexual reproduction - by effectively cloning themselves - or they can reproduce with a sexual partner. 

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13214883/bizarre-bl...