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Gulf mammal deaths likely far higher than body count, scientists say
For every dead dolphin or whale that washes up on Gulf Coast beaches, there may be 50 more that no one ever sees, a new study suggests.
Natural factors and last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico probably have caused thousands more dolphin and whale deaths than have been observed, a team of scientists says in a study published Wednesday by the journal Conservation Letters.
The scientists, led by Rob Williams, said 101 cetacean, or marine mammal, carcasses had been observed in the water or on beaches as of the time of their study.
Cited Journal Article
>>>Underestimating the damage: interpreting cetacean carcass recoveries in the context of the Deepwater Horizon/BP incident. Conservation Letters. 2011 Mar 30; [Epub ahead of print].
>>>Underestimating the damage: interpreting cetacean carcass recoveries in the context of the Deepwater Horizon/BP incident. Conservation Letters. 2011 Mar 30; [Epub ahead of print].
Related News
>>>Whale spotted in Carteret County marina later found dead on nearby beach - Morehead City, North Carolina, USA - Map It
>>>Whale spotted in Carteret County marina later found dead on nearby beach - Morehead City, North Carolina, USA - Map It
Massive fish kill in Milwaukee harbor linked to virus
A massive fish kill last month in the Milwaukee harbor has been linked to a deadly fish virus that was first discovered in Lake Michigan in 2007.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reports it is the first time the disease known as viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, has been found in Lake Michigan waters since 2008.
VHS is sometimes referred to as a fish-specific version of the deadly Ebola.
JSOnline - www.jsonline.com
01 Apr 2011
D Egan
Location: Milwaukee Harbor, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA - Map It
>>>FULL ARTICLE
01 Apr 2011
D Egan
Location: Milwaukee Harbor, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA - Map It
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Reported Wildlife Mortality Events to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center UpdatedUSGS and a network of partners across the country work on documenting wildlife mortality events in order to provide timely and accurate information on locations, species and causes of death.
This information was updated on March 31, 2011 on the USGS National Wildlife Health Center web page, New and Ongoing Wildlife Mortality Events Nationwide.
Quarterly Mortality Reports are also available from this page. These reports go back to 1995.
USGS National Wildlife Health Center
04 Apr 2011
Area: United States
>>>Updated Wildlife Mortality Event Table
04 Apr 2011
Area: United States
>>>Updated Wildlife Mortality Event Table
Radiation in Japan Seas: Risk of Animal Death, Mutation?. . . Once in seawater, radiation can hurt ocean animals in several ways—by killing them outright, creating "bizarre mutations" in their offspring, or passing radioactive material up the food chain, according to Joseph Rachlin, director of Lehman College's Laboratory for Marine and Estuarine Research in New York City.
"There will be a potential for a certain amount of lethality of living organisms, but that's less of a concern than the possible effects on the genetics of the animals that become exposed," Rachlin said.
"That's the main problem as I see it with radiation—altering the genetics of the animal and interfering with reproduction."
National Geographic News - news.nationalgeographic.com 01 Apr 2011 C Dell'Amore Photo credit: Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force via Reuters
OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Photo credit: Lakewood Ranch Herald
Lemur colony growing at Myakka reserve- Vietnam finally nets legendary turtle for treatment
- Nineteen new cases of chronic wasting disease in wild deer - Alberta, Canada - Map It
- 10-year window to save reef: expert [Great Barrier Reef]
- 2,000 Year-old Deep-sea Black Corals call Gulf of Mexico Home
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