10 giant whales found dead in Pacific off US coast — Victims of ‘mysterious affliction’ — Mass die-off of walruses and seabirds reported nearby — Experts: “Something out of the ordinary is happening” — “Really perplexing… We’re at a loss… Maybe whales ran into a toxin” (AUDIO)
ENENews.com
June 20th, 2015
KMXT, Jun 19, 2015 (emphasis added): At least 10 Fin whales are dead, having fallen victim to a mysterious affliction that seems to have killed them all near Kodiak Island.
Washington Post, Jun 19, 2015: Endangered whales are dying off in Alaska… at least nine fin whales have been found dead in the water in recent weeks… What’s more troubling is that the cause remains unknown, meaning that more of the whales could be at risk of meeting the same fate… Researchers are also investigating the death of some 25 walruses and an unusual number of seabirds… It’s not clear if the unexpected deaths are related.
Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, Jun 18, 2015: On May 23, [NOAA learned] that crew members on the Alaska Marine Highway System’s ferry MV Kennicott had photographed dead whales. During the next two weeks, boaters, fishermen and pilots reported floating dead whales in the area… The dead whales are now drifting along both sides of Kodiak Island… Fin whales, an endangered species, grow to 70 feet long.
AP, Jun 18, 2015: [M]arine mammal specialists speculate the animals might have eaten something toxic. UAF marine mammal specialist Kate Wynne said in a news release that it’s rare to see even one fin whale carcass every couple of years. A dead humpback whale also was found, but in a different location.
The Rest…HERE
