Hundreds of dead penguins wash ashore in Brazil

[The Straight Story]

Hundreds of dead penguins wash ashore in Brazil
Scientists say flightless birds likely starved to death but unsure why

SAO PAULO — Hundreds of penguins that apparently starved to death are washing up on the beaches of Brazil, worrying scientists who are still investigating what's causing them to die.

About 500 of the black-and-white birds have been found just in the last 10 days on Peruibe, Praia Grande and Itanhaem beaches in Sao Paulo state, said Thiago do Nascimento, a biologist at the Peruibe Aquarium.

Most were Magellan penguins migrating north from Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands in search of food in warmer waters.

Many are not finding it: Autopsies done on several birds revealed their stomachs were entirely empty — indicating they likely starved to death, Nascimento said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38330746

[Blue Owl]

1. very sad

:-(

[Hannah Bell]

2. because humans are eating or killing most of the food chain? just a thought.

a lot of these starving creatures washing up in the last 10 years.

i can't remember seeing anything like it in the news, say, 40 years ago.

[Canuckistanian]

3. Penguins in Brazil?

Is this normal?

[XemaSab]

4. It's a little far north

but not as unusual as you might think.

They breed in Argentina and Chile, as well as the Galapagos, South Africa, southern Australia, and New Zealand.

[Canuckistanian]

8. The Galapagos, too?

My worldview of Penguins has been destroyed. I thought they never left Antarctica or the surrounding islands like the Kerguelen Archipelago.

I'm...devastated.

[XemaSab]

9. Sorry to destroy your worldview

:(

The Galapagos penguins are VERY far north, though.

Most of the other penguins are at the tips of the continents.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Tipping point?

[bettyellen]

6. oh no! i went to see them in their breeding ground in Patagonia. So sweet and social, Im sad.....

[jimlup]

7. Eh Oh!

This doesn't sound good at all.