Mysterious Manatee and Dolphin Deaths in Florida Confound Scientists

[steve2470]

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/07/dolphins-and-manatees/all/



Once a lush and healthy estuary, the Indian River Lagoon is now an enigmatic death trap. Running along 40 percent of Florida’s Atlantic coast, the lagoon’s brackish waters harbor a mysterious killer that has claimed the lives of hundreds of manatees, pelicans, and dolphins.

Nobody knows why.

In April, NOAA declared the spate of manatee deaths an Unusual Mortality Event, a designation granted when marine mammal deaths or strandings are significantly higher than normal, demand immediate attention, and are the result of a common but unknown cause. Soon, the bottlenose dolphin die-off may be given the same designation.

“We have to hope we can find the answer, because until we do, we don’t know how we can help prevent it in the future,” said Jan Landsberg, a research scientist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

[Mojorabbit]

1. I keep one of my pontoon boats out there during shrimping season.

There has been a major algae bloom the past two years. They had replanted a lot of seagrass but the bloom last year was so thick the young grass could get no light. It is a shame. You used to be able to catch all manner of fish there as well as clam and oyster.

[reusrename]

2. Very sad.

[madokie]

3. BP

between the oil and the shit they used to disperse it no wonder things are dying
seems pretty cut and dried to me
but then again a lot of things seem to be to me that aren't

[quaker bill]

4. Wrong side of the state...

I work where the scientists are studying this and get regular updates. About the only thing that can be clearly ruled out as a cause is the BP Gulf spill. So many estuaries far closer to the spill show no impacts at all, that this is not even being considered.

Things that are still in the mix include: many failed septic tanks, hypersalinity from an extended drought, ag runoff, and curiously a record low temperature spike that lasted a week or two.

The cause will be far more mundane much closer to the impacts.

Beyond the animal deaths, an unfortunate thing is that the event has very quickly undone most of the progress of a 20 year restoration effort.

[Scurrilous]

5. Kick

[byeya]

6. I've been within touching distance of a manatee and I hate to hear that these

wonderful animals are dying off. Love those gentle creatures.