Hundreds Of Dead Magellenic Penguins Washing Up In Brazil Closer To Equator Than Ever Recorded

[hatrack]

With hundreds of dead or sick Magellanic penguins washing up along the Brazilian coast in recent weeks, experts are struggling to figure out why so many have been appearing—and why they're so much farther north than usual.

EDIT

But this year wildlife officials say they have found about 500 dead or dying birds along the coast of the northeastern state of Bahia—much closer to the Equator than the penguins have ever been found before. "Global warming is the logical cause," said climatologist Jose Marengo of Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and a member of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. "Sea currents are a reflection of wind patterns. This winter has started earlier and, so far, has been more severe," Marengo said.

As a consequence, the ocean currents in which the penguins travel can get stronger on particularly cold days, taking the birds farther north.

Still, the South Atlantic is one of the "big holes in climate knowledge" in the Americas, Marengo cautioned. There are no historical statistics that could prove global warming is affecting local sea currents.

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http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080805-penguins-brazil.html

[shireen]

1. i don't know how much more bad news i can take

is there ANYTHING good happening in the world anymore?

RIP, little penguins ....
:cry:

[stuntcat]

2. omg no

:cry: I want to murder the next old shithead who asks me why I'm not having babies.