เก็บรวบรวมข้อมูลสัตว์ตายหมู่ สัตว์บอกเหตุ *ให้สังเกตสัตว์ตายหมู่ช่วงนี้*

ปลาตายหลายร้อยตัวในแม่น้ำดาร์ลิ้ง ออสเตรเลีย

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="100%">2011-03-15 04:18:04 - Biological Hazard - Australia

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td width="25%">EDIS Code:</td> <td>BH-20110315-29951-AUS</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Date&Time:</td> <td>2011-03-15 04:18:04 [UTC]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Continent:</td> <td>Australia & New-Zealand</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Country:</td> <td>Australia</td> </tr> <tr> <td>State/Prov.:</td> <td>State of New South Wales, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Location:</td> <td>Darling River, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>City:</td> <td>Bourke </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> Not confirmed information!
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" width="440"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Description: </td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Floodwaters are being blamed for the death of hundreds of thousands of fish in the Darling River at Bourke in western New South Wales. Industry and Investment New South Wales says water from the Bogan River with low oxygen levels is flowing into the Darling causing carp, boney bream and other species of fish to suffocate. Samples of the water are being tested to confirm the theory, but results may not be available for several weeks. I and I's Manager of Fisheries and Ecosystems, Sarah Fairfull, says it is impossible to tell how many fish have died or will be effected before freshwater from other parts of the Darling system mixes with the 'black water'. "People have reported tens of thousands to millions so I think there's a large number of smaller fish that have been affected as well," she said. "So we can only estimate it based on the size of the surface and there may be more under the water, so it's difficult to estimate the full population affected." Ms Fairfull says landholders have also reported fish gasping at the surface and crayfish crawling out of the river. "Generally with floodwaters receding off the floodplain, sometimes that water has very low oxygen conditions because the vegetation on the floodplain has died as it's been inundated and that process actually strips oxygen out of the water," she said. A Bourke grazier, Di Ridge, who lives on the riverbank, says she first noticed the fish on Friday. She says she has never seen anything like it. "Just a massive amount of dead fish floating along," she said. "Little silver perch, I'm assuming they are, and they're just floating downstream and then they're mixed up with an enormous amount of carp that I feel, just by looking at it, have lost the energy to swim so they're sort of still alive but they're just floating down stream with the current." Mrs Ridge says they are dying on the riverbank. "It's just disgusting, it smells like the fish markets. "It's not a huge pong but it's certainly coming up the bank and into the house now so it's really getting to smell a lot more as it's getting quite warm," she said.
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> The name of Hazard: Fish Die-off (Low level oxygen)
Species: Animal
Status: Suspected
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

หลวงพ่อที่ไปกราบท่านมา ท่านบอกว่า ตอนนี้ใต้โลกระอุไปหมด น้ำร้อน ปลาอยู่ไม่ได้ต้องหนีขึ้นมา ถ้าทนไม่ได้อีกก็ต้องตาย

 

อีกแล้วปลาวาฬนำร่องมาเกยตืน แถบออสเตรเลีย นิวซีแลนด์

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="100%">2011-03-17 10:18:00 - Biological Hazard - Australia

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td width="25%">EDIS Code:</td> <td>BH-20110317-29977-AUS</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Date&Time:</td> <td>2011-03-17 10:18:00 [UTC]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Continent:</td> <td>Australia & New-Zealand</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Country:</td> <td>Australia</td> </tr> <tr> <td>State/Prov.:</td> <td>State of Tasmania, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Location:</td> <td>Bruny Island, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>City:</td> <td>
</td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="2"> Not confirmed information!
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" width="440"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Description: </td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> A POD of about 30 pilot whales have become stranded on Bruny Island, south of the Tasmanian state capital Hobart, wildlife authorities say. Department of Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Liz Wren said that 12 of the whales were still alive with people on the beach trying to move them back into the water. "Preliminary reports indicate around 30 whales have stranded with some believed to be still alive," a statement from the department said. Initial reports indicated they were pilot whales. Whale strandings happen periodically in Tasmania, but scientists do not know why they happen.
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> The name of Hazard: Whales of the ground
Species: Animal
Status: Confirmed
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

Event: Biological Hazard
Location: Australia State of New South Wales Nelson Bay Number of Injured: 1 person(s)

Situation:

A Great White Shark is responsible for the attack on a young woman north of Newcastle, a biologist who has studied her life jacket and wounds said today. Lisa Mondy, 24 was waiting for a boat to pick her up after coming off her wakeboard at Jimmys Beach, Port Stephens, when the shark struck yesterday. It grabbed her face and dragged her under water. She was conscious but in a serious condition about 1.50pm (AEDT) when she arrived at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle. Ms Mondy remains in a stable condition with severe injuries to her head, shoulder, neck and left arm. Investigators from the state government's Shark Attack Response Plan team have studied the bite marks on the young woman's life jacket and photos of her wounds. They released a statement today saying a great white was responsible for the attack. "A shark biologist has studied the attack pattern and photographs of the victim's wounds," the statement said. The area, popular for fishing, is known for tiger and bull sharks, although there have been sightings of great whites. Ben Morcom, 31, was attacked by a two-metre great white shark in December 2007 while surfing at Jimmys Beach.

 

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="100%">2011-03-25 15:22:12 - Biological Hazard - United Kingdom

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table width="100%" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"> <tbody><tr> <td width="25%">EDIS Code:</td> <td>BH-20110325-30071-GBR</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Date&Time:</td> <td>2011-03-25 15:22:12 [UTC]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Continent:</td> <td>Europe</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Country:</td> <td>United Kingdom</td> </tr> <tr> <td>State/Prov.:</td> <td>England, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Location:</td> <td>Caldy Valley Nature Park, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>City:</td> <td>Huntington</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> Event exciting : Suspected chemical attack(?)

Not confirmed information!
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td width="440" align="right"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Description: </td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Thousands of dead fish have been found floating in a picturesque stream after harmful pollution was allegedly poured down drains. The surface of a small stream in Caldy Valley Nature Park in Huntington was littered with the bodies of 10,000 fish on Wednesday (March 23), after a suspected chemical attack. Families and couples enjoying a stroll in the glorious sunshine in the council-owned park were greeted by the gruesome sight of rangers clearing the bodies, which lined the brook near Sainsbury's supermarket. Thousands of roach, dace, chubb, gudgeon, lamprey, stone loach and eels were killed in the incident which was reported to Cheshire West and Chester Council at just after 1pm on Wednesday. Following the discovery, officers from the Environment Agency have been testing the water for toxins and conducting door to door inquiries in the hope that residents can help them identify what caused the mass cull. Spokesperson for Cheshire West and Chester Council Rachel Ashley said: “We think some kind of chemical has been poured into the stream's drains, which are only meant for fresh rain water. “We would urge anyone who has seen anybody pouring anything down these drains in the streets nearby to alert the Environment Agency.” Officers from the North West Environment Agency said that the pollution could have been caused naturally, by temperature changes or a blockage, but they confirmed they were still carrying out investigations. Spokesperson for the North West Environment Agency Jane Sutton said: “If the river was polluted that would be a serious offence. We are asking members of the public if they have seen anything suspicious.” The park, which is a haven for bustling wildlife including, newts, ramshorn snails, ducks, freshwater shrimp, and a large variety of birds, has been looked after by Friends of Caldy Valley Nature Park since 1991. The stream flows into the River Dee, which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation, but it is thought that whatever caused the 200 metres to be polluted did not spread, as wildlife has been seen further up stream. It is hoped that the stream will become thriving once more, as fish venture into the waters from the Dee and repopulate the area.
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> The name of Hazard: Fish Die-off
Species: Animal
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

UPDATE: Hundreds of Fish Dead in Gulf Shores


Reported by: Local 15 News Staff
Email: local15@local15tv.com


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Published: 9:45 am

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Updated: 5:42 pm







(DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala.) - Hundreds of dead fish have washed ashore, and officials are trying to determine what killed them.

The discovery was made around 7 a.m. Saturday on at least a three-mile stretch of beach near the Gulf State Park Pier.

"We usually don't get any around the pier here until sometime in the late summer. Right now they're dead, everybody I talked to got them down on the beach everywhere," Gulf State Park spokesman Charles Kelley said.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will test the fish to figure out what killed them.


อ้างอิง

 

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="100%">2011-04-06 02:27:34 - Biological Hazard - Azerbaijan

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td width="25%">EDIS Code:</td> <td>BH-20110406-30196-AZE</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Date&Time:</td> <td>2011-04-06 02:27:34 [UTC]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Continent:</td> <td>Asia</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Country:</td> <td>Azerbaijan</td> </tr> <tr> <td>State/Prov.:</td> <td>Geychay Rayon, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Location:</td> <td>The area wasn't definied, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>City:</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> Not confirmed information!
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" width="440"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Description: </td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> The state veterinary service in Azerbaijan denies any bird die-off in Geychay rayon, despite complaints of local villagers. The villagers in Bigir complain about widespread domestic bird die-off. The locals say that the mortality has been ongoing for a week, affecting most farms. An interviewed person confirmed that he had lost 25-30 hens and chickens. Samples had been taken for testing, results received saying "a viral infection against which there is no vaccine". The villagers were not instructed to avoid using sick chickens' meat. A representative of the state veterinary services claimed the villagers' complaints were groundless. He argued that at the most few ("1-2") chickens died due to seasonal factors. He said that the 4th surveillance for bird flu was launched on 28 Mar 2011. Samples will be collected in many places. There is also a hotline for the reporting of suspected cases.
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> The name of Hazard: Birds Die-off (Reason is unknow)
Species: Animal
Status: Suspected
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="100%">2011-04-06 02:27:34 - Biological Hazard - Azerbaijan

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td width="25%">EDIS Code:</td> <td>BH-20110406-30196-AZE</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Date&Time:</td> <td>2011-04-06 02:27:34 [UTC]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Continent:</td> <td>Asia</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Country:</td> <td>Azerbaijan</td> </tr> <tr> <td>State/Prov.:</td> <td>Geychay Rayon, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Location:</td> <td>The area wasn't definied, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>City:</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> Not confirmed information!
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" width="440"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Description: </td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> The state veterinary service in Azerbaijan denies any bird die-off in Geychay rayon, despite complaints of local villagers. The villagers in Bigir complain about widespread domestic bird die-off. The locals say that the mortality has been ongoing for a week, affecting most farms. An interviewed person confirmed that he had lost 25-30 hens and chickens. Samples had been taken for testing, results received saying "a viral infection against which there is no vaccine". The villagers were not instructed to avoid using sick chickens' meat. A representative of the state veterinary services claimed the villagers' complaints were groundless. He argued that at the most few ("1-2") chickens died due to seasonal factors. He said that the 4th surveillance for bird flu was launched on 28 Mar 2011. Samples will be collected in many places. There is also a hotline for the reporting of suspected cases.
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> The name of Hazard: Birds Die-off (Reason is unknow)
Species: Animal
Status: Suspected
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="100%">2011-04-06 02:54:20 - Biological Hazard - USA

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td width="25%">EDIS Code:</td> <td>BH-20110406-30198-USA</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Date&Time:</td> <td>2011-04-06 02:54:20 [UTC]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Continent:</td> <td>North-America</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Country:</td> <td>USA</td> </tr> <tr> <td>State/Prov.:</td> <td>State of New York, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Location:</td> <td>Manhattan, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>City:</td> <td>New York City</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> Not confirmed information!
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" width="440"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Description: </td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Vermin are running amok on New York City streets and in subway tunnels, a Manhattan city official warned today. The rat problem is so bad that it is threatening public health and driving tourists from the city, claimed Manhattan Borough president Scott Stringer. 'They don't want to come here and share their vacation with a New York City rat,' he said. He demanded $1.5million in 'rat control' be restored to the city's Health Department budget. The cut, he said, had forced the layoff of 57 pest control workers. That resulted in a spike of 1.5 per cent in complaints over the last year and damage to New York's appeal as a tourist destination. And, he said, the rampaging rodents are also a threat to public safety. 'I find this to be unacceptable because rodents are very dangerous to children and the quality of life of the city,' Stringer said. He said the cut 'makes no sense' as the city's pest control programme was collecting around $6million in fines each year from building owners for pest-related health violations. Why would you make cuts to a programme that actually makes money for the city?' Stringer said. Unless the cuts are restored and the pest control force fortified, the rat control problem is only going to get worse, he said. City health spokeswoman Susan Craig said the layoffs have 'had no impact on the agency's ability to respond to rat complaints'. The city has adapted to the cuts by doing more comprehensive pest control sweeps of neighborhoods as opposed to responding to individual complaints, she said. 'Our new approach has allowed us to become better at discovering rat problems, better at notifying landlords about infestations and better at getting properties near each other to treat rat problems simultaneously,' she said.

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> The name of Hazard: Rat invasion
Species: Animal
Status: Confirmed
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

ปลาโลมาหลายตัวตายที่อ่าวเม็กซิโก ยังหาสาเหตุการตายไม่ได้

Event: Biological Hazard
Location: USA MultiStates Gulf of Mexico's coastal areas

Situation: Researchers have traced oil found on dead dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico to the BP Deepwater Horizon spill but say it's not yet clear whether the oil caused their deaths. Hundreds of bottlenose dolphins have washed up dead in the Gulf in the past year, an unexplained rise in deaths that has scientists concerned. Oil on six of the dolphins has been directly linked to BP's blown-out well, but researchers say it's too soon to conclude whether or not the oil was responsible or if their demise was caused by something entirely unrelated, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. "Some of these stranded dolphins have come in with some type of suspected oil, ... but it doesn't mean that it's an acute cause of death," NOAA spokeswoman Karrie Carnes told AOL News today by phone. According to NOAA data, 293 dolphins have washed up dead in the Gulf of Mexico since the April 20 spill, a major increase compared with an average of 74 dolphins per year in the previous decade. But researchers note that the spike in deaths actually began in February 2010, two months before the BP explosion. Most of the dead dolphins are babies or even preterm.

"The northern Gulf of Mexico is no stranger to dolphin mortality deaths," said Blair Mase, a regional marine mammal stranding coordinator for NOAA, referring to deaths researchers consider unexplained. "Since 1990 we've had 11 dolphin mortality events in the Gulf, so it does occur with regularity. What's so unusual about this case is that we've seen a sustained increase in dolphin mortalities since February 2010. So we're particularly concerned." Researchers say finding out what's causing the increase in deaths will take months, and ultimately more than one factor may be to blame. The marine mammals could have been killed by naturally occurring algae blooms, for example, or an infectious disease. Still, if scientists find conclusive evidence that oil from last year's Deepwater Horizon spill played a role in the mammals' deaths, it could mean more penalties for oil giant BP. BP did not immediately respond to a request for comment today from AOL News. An unusually high number of sea turtles have washed up dead in the Gulf of Mexico as well. While the deaths are so far unexplained, no oil was found on their bodies, and scientists believe they may have been accidentally drowned in fishing gear, suffocated by algae blooms, or killed by speedboats or other watercraft. Twenty-five of them are the endangered Kemp's ridley turtle.

Officials say they are still investigating.

 

Oil From BP Spill Found on Dead Dolphins in Gulf of Mexico

<abbr class="published updated" title="2011-04-08T19:58:00-04:00">Apr 8, 2011 – 7:58 PM

</abbr>Researchers have traced oil found on dead dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico to the BP Deepwater Horizon spill but say it's not yet clear whether the oil caused their deaths.

Hundreds of bottlenose dolphins have washed up dead in the Gulf in the past year, an unexplained rise in deaths that has scientists concerned. Oil on six of the dolphins has been directly linked to BP's blown-out well, but researchers say it's too soon to conclude whether or not the oil was responsible or if their demise was caused by something entirely unrelated, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

Patrick Semansky, AP
Veterinary technician Wendy Hatchett lifts a dead bottlenose dolphin that was found on Ono Island, Ala., and brought for examination to the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, Miss., on Feb. 22.



"Some of these stranded dolphins have come in with some type of suspected oil, ... but it doesn't mean that it's an acute cause of death," NOAA spokeswoman Karrie Carnes told AOL News today by phone.

According to NOAA data, 293 dolphins have washed up dead in the Gulf of Mexico since the April 20 spill, a major increase compared with an average of 74 dolphins per year in the previous decade. But researchers note that the spike in deaths actually began in February 2010, two months before the BP explosion. Most of the dead dolphins are babies or even preterm.

"The northern Gulf of Mexico is no stranger to dolphin mortality deaths," said Blair Mase, a regional marine mammal stranding coordinator for NOAA, referring to deaths researchers consider unexplained. "Since 1990 we've had 11 dolphin mortality events in the Gulf, so it does occur with regularity. What's so unusual about this case is that we've seen a sustained increase in dolphin mortalities since February 2010. So we're particularly concerned."

Researchers say finding out what's causing the increase in deaths will take months, and ultimately more than one factor may be to blame. The marine mammals could have been killed by naturally occurring algae blooms, for example, or an infectious disease.

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Still, if scientists find conclusive evidence that oil from last year's Deepwater Horizon spill played a role in the mammals' deaths, it could mean more penalties for oil giant BP.

BP did not immediately respond to a request for comment today from AOL News.

An unusually high number of sea turtles have washed up dead in the Gulf of Mexico as well. While the deaths are so far unexplained, no oil was found on their bodies, and scientists believe they may have been accidentally drowned in fishing gear, suffocated by algae blooms, or killed by speedboats or other watercraft. Twenty-five of them are the endangered Kemp's ridley turtle.

Officials say they are still investigating.

 

ลูกนกแพนกวิ้นขนหลุด และปรากฎตัวอีกฝั่งหนึ่งของแอตแลนติก

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="100%">2011-04-12 05:38:07 - Biological Hazard - MultiCountries

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td width="25%">EDIS Code:</td> <td>BH-20110412-30278-MLC</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Date&Time:</td> <td>2011-04-12 05:38:07 [UTC]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Continent:</td> <td>Other</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Country:</td> <td>MultiCountries</td> </tr> <tr> <td>State/Prov.:</td> <td>Argentina and South Africa, </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Location:</td> <td>Punta Tombo, (Arg), and Cape Town, (SAF), </td> </tr> <tr> <td>City:</td> <td>
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> Damage level: Heavy (Level 3)

Not confirmed information!
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" width="440"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Description: </td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> Mysterious “naked” penguin chicks turning up on either side of the Atlantic are worrying biologists, who are stumped over what’s causing the birds to lose their feathers. Since 2006, an increasing number of Magellanic penguin chicks completely without feathers have been observed in colonies Punta Tombo, Argentina, and Cape Town, South Africa. Scientists are not only puzzled as to what’s causing the condition, but they’re also worried it could spread to other penguin species. “It’s very bizarre, and certainly it’s a worry,” said Dee Boersma, a biology professor at the University of Washington and head of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s penguin project. “Magellanic penguins are temperate birds, so they can survive without feathers,” she said. “But what happens if it transfers to another species of penguin further south? That would be really bad news.” Boersma, along with her colleagues in Argentina and at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, recently published the results of a multi-year study of the phenomenon in the journal Waterbirds.

The condition was first observed in 2006 in African penguins at a Cape Town rehabilitation centre. But it wasn’t until Boersma and some graduate students studying colonies in 2007 in Punta Tombo, where nearly a million Magellanic penguins arrive every year to breed, that the phenomenon came under close scientific scrutiny. Between 2007 and 2010, featherless chicks turned up at four different study sites along Argentina’s coastline. Oddly, the featherless chicks aren’t born bald. “When the chicks hatch, they have their feathers,” Boersma told the Star.



“It’s when that coat of down wears off that they become featherless.” She says the suspected cause is a virus, but nothing has been proven. “We don’t really know. Viruses are hard to find,” Boersma said, adding that samples have been taken from the penguins for testing. What is known is that being featherless doesn’t always result in a death sentence. The researchers found that featherless chicks were smaller in size and weight than the normal penguins, and usually grew more slowly. But they didn’t always die.

“They’re paying such a high cost for maintenance,” said Boersma. “You’ve got to shiver a lot to stay warm.” While the condition is relatively rare — Boersma and her team found 12 featherless chicks this year — she says time is of the essence to find the cause of the disorder before it starts to spread. “We’ve got to be better stewards of the world we live in if we want to share it with penguins.”
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top">
The name of Hazard: Unidentified Disease (penguins)
Species: Animal
Status: Confirmed
</td></tr></tbody> </table>

 

ปลาอย่างน้อย 6 ตันตายลอยอยู่ตรงแคลิฟอร์เนีย อีกแล้ว

Event: Biological Hazard
Location: USA State of California Ventura Harbor

Situation:

Marine officials were trying to determine Tuesday what caused thousands of sardines to turn up dead in Ventura Harbor, the second mass fish die-off in local marinas in as many months. Roughly 6 tons of the small silvery fish were found floating in the harbor early Monday. Officials said their initial theory is that the sardines died after using up all the oxygen in a corner of the harbor. The scene in Ventura Harbor — crews churning up the water with aerators and volunteers scooping nets full of fish up from the surface — was reminiscent of the cleanup effort in Redondo Beach six weeks ago when officials discovered a thick blanket of dead sardines coating King Harbor. Scientists are looking into whether the two die-offs share a common cause. A spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Game said a warden visited the harbor and concluded the die-off was the result of oxygen deprivation, not water pollution, toxins or algae blooms — the usual causes of fish kills.

Last month's massive die-off occurred after millions of sardines swam into King Harbor and suffocated. It took days for crews to scoop and vacuum up about 175 tons of fish carcasses from the harbor. Those sardines tested positive for domoic acid, a neurotoxin generated by algae blooms, but scientists believe the fish — perhaps disoriented because of the toxic algae — swam into the enclosed harbor in such huge numbers that they died as a result of critically low oxygen levels, not poisoning. Still, what caused them to swim into the marina remains a mystery. The die-off in Ventura appears to be much smaller. Large schools of fish started to swim into Ventura Harbor about a week ago, Harbormaster Scott Miller said; it was unclear what drove them there. Dolphins, sea lions and seabirds followed, feasting on the heavy concentration of easy prey. "We just think they moved in there, and it was just like crowding too many people into a room," he said. An algae bloom along the coastline in recent weeks has poisoned dozens of sea lions, dolphins and seabirds and left them stranded on beaches across Southern California, but scientists have not linked either of the fish kills to the bloom.

USC biology professor David Caron said his lab was requesting fish specimens from Ventura Harbor to test for specific toxins related to algae blooms. "It would be very nice to know if these fish that are undergoing mortality events are in anyway impacted or have toxins in their bodies," he said. Fish kills are usually preceded by an algae bloom that entices large numbers of plankton-eating fish to the area, said Nancy Rabalais, executive director of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, who studies low-oxygen "dead zones" of decaying algae near the mouth of the Mississippi River. Because low-oxygen zones are fed by sewage, fertilizer and other nutrient-rich runoff, water pollution is usually considered an ultimate cause of such die-offs. More severe fish kills have besieged Ventura Harbor before, but have typically followed algae blooms known as red tides. A 10-day red tide killed more than 80 tons of fish in 2003. Miller said the die-off seemed to be subsiding after the cleanup and aeration. "We think we got about 90% of the fish," he said. "And the birds this morning probably got the rest of them."