Feed: Mystery of mass animal death epidemic deepens after 8,000 turtle - AggScore: 12.8

Mystery of mass animal death epidemic deepens after 8,000 turtle doves fall dead in Italy with strange blue stain on their beaks

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ullispanBlue stain believed to be sign of poisoning or hypoxia lack of oxygen that is precursor to altitude sicknessspanlilispanCold weather and overbreeding blamed for deaths of two 2million fish in Chesapeake BayspanlilispanDisease behind deaths of 100,000 fish in Arkansas RiverspanlilispanAt least nine incidents of mass animal deaths across the globespanlilispanHundreds of confused birds plummeted to their deaths in multiple locations in the U.S.spanlilispanRapid movement of Magnetic North Pole towards Russia may have caused bird deathsspanliulspanThousands of dead turtle doves rained down on roofs and cars in an Italian town in the latest in a growing spate of mass animal deaths across the globe.spanspanResidents in Faenza described the birds falling to the ground like little Christmas balls with strange blue stains on their beaks.spancaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionMystery 8,000 turtle doves fell to the ground dead in Faenza, Italy, and were found to have a blue stain around their beaksimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CAD3146000005DC505634x382.jpg altMystery 8,000 turtle doves fell to the ground dead in Faenza, Italy, and were found to have a blue stain around their beaks width634 height382 captionp styletextalign centerspanInitial tests on up to 8,000 of the doves indicated that the blue stain could have been caused by poisoning or hypoxia.spanpcaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionShock Residents described seeing individual doves fall from the sky, before groups of 10 or 20 began hitting roofs and carsimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CAD3141000005DC838634x376.jpg altShock Residents described seeing individual doves fall from the sky, before groups of 10 or 20 began hitting roofs and cars width634 height376 captionspanA witness told www.examiner.com We have no idea why this happened all of a sudden.spanspanThe doves just started falling onebyone then in groups of 10s and 20s.spanspanHypoxia, a lack of oxygen, is known to cause confusion and illness in animals. It is also a common precursor to altitude sickness.spanspanExperts said results from tests on the doves will not be available for at least a week.spanspanThey said that cold weather could have caused the birds deaths as the flock was swept into a highaltitude wind storm before falling to the earth.spanspanIt comes after two million dead fish were found to have washed up on shores in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.spancaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionMystery Experts said they believed the blue colouration around the doves39 beaks may indicate poisoning or lack of oxygenimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CAD314D000005DC594634x301.jpg altMystery Experts said they believed the blue colouration around the doves beaks may indicate poisoning or lack of oxygen width634 height301 captionp styletextalign centerspanThe alarming find is being blamed by authorities in Maryland on the stress caused by unusually cold water and overbreeding among spot fish.spanpcaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionLittering the beach The bodies of two million spot fish have washed up on the shores of Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, after unusually cold weatherimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CAC8F09000005DC645634x475.jpg altLittering the beach The bodies of two million spot fish have washed up on the shores of Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, after unusually cold weather width634 height475 captioncaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionCarnage Thousands of dead fish have washed up on the shores of Spruce Creek, Floridaimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CAA497A000005DC530634x354.jpg altCarnage Thousands of dead fish have washed up on the shores of Spruce Creek, Florida width634 height354 captionspanThat investigation comes just days after the deaths of an estimated 100,000 fish in northwest Arkansas, which is being blamed on disease.spanspanA statement by the Maryland Department of the Environment said Natural causes appear to be the reason.spanspanCold water stress exacerbated by a large population of the affected species juvenile spot fish appears to be the cause of the kill.spanspanPreliminary tests of the water in Chesapeake Bay have showed the quality was acceptable, officials said.spanspanThe statement added The affected fish are almost exclusively juvenile spot fish, three to six inches in length.spanspanA recent survey showed a very strong population of spot in the bay this year. An increased juvenile population and limited deep water habitat would likely compound the effects of cold water stress.spandivcaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionGruesome New Year revellers watched in horror as the birds rained down on houses and cars in Beebeimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CA7EC47000005DC978634x328.jpg altGruesome New Year revellers watched in horror as the birds rained down on houses and cars in Beebe width634 height328 captiondivcaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionMystery Officials initially blamed highaltitude hail or lightning hitting the birds. Then preliminary lab tests concluded they had died from multiple blunt force traumaimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CAA4976000005DC565634x396.jpg altMystery Officials initially blamed highaltitude hail or lightning hitting the birds. Then preliminary lab tests concluded they had died from multiple blunt force trauma width634 height396 captioncaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionMystery A starling lies along the Morganza Highway in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Experts said hundreds of birds may have died after hitting power linesimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CA7EC40000005DC557634x369.jpg altMystery A starling lies along the Morganza Highway in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Experts said hundreds of birds may have died after hitting power lines width634 height369 captionspanMass winter deaths among spot fish have occurred twice before in the Maryland area in 1976 and 1980.spanspanThe incident is the latest mass animal death to hit the headlines in the last two weeks.spanspanThese includespanspanspanullispan 450 redwinged blackbirds, brownheaded cowbirds, grackles and starlings found littering a highway in Baton Rouge, Louisianaspanlilispan3,000 blackbirds on roofs and roads in the small town of Beebe, ArkansasspanspanspanlilispanThousands of devil crabs washed up along the Kent coast near ThanetspanlilispanThousands of drum fish washed along a 20mile stretch of the Arkansas RiverspanlilispanTwo million small fish in Chesapeake Bay, MarylandspanlilispanThousands of dead fish found floating in warm Florida creekspanlilispanHundreds of snapper fish found dead in New ZealandspanlilispanScores of American Coots found dead on Texas highway bridgespanliulspanExperts have speculated that New Year fireworks, thunderstorms, cold weather, parasites and even poisoning may be behind the deaths.spanspanBut conspiracy theorists have also speculated on the internet that secret government experiments could be behind them, with some even claiming it was a sign of a looming Armageddon at the end of the Mayan calendar next year.spancaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionThe plot thickens Rescue chief Christer Olofsson holds a dead bird in Falkoping, Sweden. Dozens of jackdaws were found dead on the streetimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CA7EC28000005DC983634x369.jpg altThe plot thickens Rescue chief Christer Olofsson holds a dead bird in Falkoping, Sweden. Dozens of jackdaws were found dead on the street width634 height369 captionp styletextalign centerspanAnother theory is that the rapid movement of the Magnetic North Pole towards Russia may have affected the birds innate navigation systems.spanpcaption id alignalignleft width306 captionCreepy Thousands of dead drum fish were also discovered just miles away lining the shores of the Arkansas Riverimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CA7EE04000005DC35306x423.jpg altCreepy Thousands of dead drum fish were also discovered just miles away lining the shores of the Arkansas River width306 height423 captionspanInbuilt navigation systems in birds and fish is believed to be affected by magnetism.spanspanScientists have said the Magnetic North Pole is shifting at an average of around 25 miles a year.spanspanWith birds and fish relying on it to travel to breeding grounds and warmed climes, there are fears that the shifting pole could be confusing the animals which means they do not migrate in time to avoid cold weather.spanspanTests are being carried out on the dead birds and fish, but results are not expected for several weeks.spanspanScientists have been baffled by the sudden deaths of hundreds of birds which have plummeted to the ground seemingly simultaneously in several locations.spanspanTwo hundred American Coots were found dead on a highway bridge crossing Lake O the Pines in Big Cypress Creek, Texas.spanspanThey are believed to have been hit by passing vehicles while walking or apparently trying to roost on the bridge.spanspanSwedish experts blamed the shock of New Year fireworks for the unexplained deaths of 50 jackdaws found on a street in Falkoping, Sweden.spanspanMany of the birds are believed to have died from stress or as a result of being run over while disoriented.spanspanThe largest incident took place in Beebe, Arkansas, were horrified revellers witnessed around 3,000 blackbirds crashing to their deaths into homes, cars and each other as they celebrated New Year.spanspanAnother 450 birds were found strewn along a highway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after apparently hitting overhead power lines.spanspanIn both cases, the birds are believed to have become confused and were flying at a lower height than usual.spanspanThe deaths of tons of fish across the globe is being attributed to unusually cold water.spanspanThousands of Brazilian fishermen have been left struggling to make ends meet after the sale of seafood was temporarily suspended when masses of fish were discovered in Paranagu, Antonina and Guaraqueaba Pontal do Paran.spanspanFish were also discovered rotting and floating in Spruce Creek, Florida, after another period of cold weather.spanspan100,000 drum fish were found strewn along the shore of the Arkansas River.spancaption id alignaligncenter width634 captionThousands of them Crabs washed up at Palm Bay, Margate, are thought to have died of hypothermiaimg srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CA7EC34000005DC374634x547.jpg altThousands of them Crabs washed up at Palm Bay, Margate, are thought to have died of hypothermia width634 height547 captionp styletextalign centerspanAnd the cold snap has been blamed for the deaths of 40,000 Velvet swimming crabs known as devil crabs found littering beaches in Thanet, Kent.spanpa hrefhttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CACB93E000005DC460634x352popup.jpg Enlarge img srchttpi.dailymail.co.ukipix20110107article13449130CACB93E000005DC460634x352.jpg altmass animal deaths width634 height352 a