Mounting dolphin deaths in Florida's red tide zone trigger federal investigation

[babylonsister]

Mounting dolphin deaths in Florida’s red tide zone trigger federal investigation
By Jenny Staletovich
August 31, 2018 05:14 PM


Federal wildlife officials have opened an investigation into dolphin deaths off Southwest Florida, where a red tide is suspected of killing 41 dolphins in August alone amid widespread fish kills across five counties.

In a briefing Friday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was declaring the deaths an “unusual mortality event,” allowing the agency to corral resources to research the ongoing deaths linked to the algae bloom. Since the 1990s, the agency has declared four similar red tide dolphin die-offs in the Gulf. Three occurred in the Panhandle and one, during a 17-month long tide that ended in 2006, covered the entire west coast.

“As we go through this event, if it’s truly red tide, you may see a shift in the type and what the strandings look like,” said veterinarian Teri Rowles, coordinator for NOAA’s Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Program.

Researchers at Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota said they confirmed evidence of a bloom nearly a year ago in October. Massive fish kills and sea turtle deaths followed, leaving beaches littered and canals clogged with carcasses by June. It’s not unusual for dolphin deaths to lag behind turtles, manatees and other marine life because dolphins tend to be poisoned by the food they eat rather than the water, Rowles said.

“In red tide events, we know the animals often die acutely with high levels of brevetoxins in their bodies and in there stomachs,” she said. “But....even when the bloom is gone we may see an increase in mortality.”

Dolphin deaths stayed in the normal range through much of the bloom: one was reported in November and about two dozen more through July, said Erin Fougeres, NOAA’s strandings coordinator for the southeast region. Then in July the number hit eight, double the historic average, followed by the 41 deaths in August.

Only ten carcasses have been examined so far, but all had high levels of red tide toxin, suggesting their deaths were linked to the algae bloom, Rowles said.

more...

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article217654845.html

[Bayard]

1. Really sad about this.....