Animals
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Attention

17 rare river dolphins die in 4 months in Bangladesh

Anwar Hussain
Dhaka Tribune
Fri, 02 Feb 2018 12:11 UTC
The river dolphin population in Bangladesh is dwindling
The river dolphin population in Bangladesh is dwindling
The official status of river dolphins is "critically endangered"

As many as 17 river dolphins have been found dead in Chittagong's Halda River since October last year.

Experts have mainly blamed pollution, river dredging and the plying of mechanized vessels for the deaths.

River dolphins, locally known as Shushuk, have been classified as "critically endangered" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

Fifteen dolphins were found dead between October last year and January 5. Bodies of two more were found floating in the Halda River on January 20 and February 1.

According to Halda River Research Laboratory, the river dolphin population will not exceed 1,200 across the globe and about 250 of them are believed to be found in the Halda River.
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Attention

5 dead dolphins found on the coast of Almeria, Spain


Soltimes
Sat, 03 Feb 2018 11:59 UTC
SAD SIGHT: One of the dolphins to become stranded last month.
© EquinacOne of the dolphins to become stranded last month.
Five dolphins have been left stranded on the Almeria coast since the turn of the year.

According to animal rescue agency Equinac, in the first month of 2018, five dolphins, one of them common, have been found dead, washed up on various parts of Almeria's coastline.

The animals were reportedly found on the Playa de los Genoveses, Nijar, Almerimar, El Ejido, Roquetas, Retamar and in the Cabo de Gata. The numbers follow an alarming trend in the region, which saw more than 155 animals stranded on Almerian beaches between 2013 and 2015. And data released by Equinac earlier this year revealed that an estimated 80 sea animals, including dolphins, whales and sea turtles, died on Almerian shores last year.
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Attention

Thousands of dead penguins wash up on beaches in Northland, New Zealand


Newstalk ZB.
Fri, 19 Jan 2018 17:36 UTC
Thousands of blue penguins are dying on New Zealand's east coast, including in Northland.
© NZ HeraldThousands of blue penguins are dying on New Zealand's east coast, including in Northland.
Rough seas and strong easterlies - and a successful breeding season - could be behind the deaths of possibly thousands of little blue penguins on Northland's east coast.

Many east coast beaches have been strewn with bodies of the world's smallest penguin species, in Maori called korora, along with shearwaters, petrels and other seabirds.

Although the sight has shocked some visitors to the region, even locals used to seeing dead seabirds are concerned at the number of birds in trouble and carcasses, Whangarei birdman Robert Webb said.

The Whangarei Bird Recovery Centre which he manages is caring for dozens of injured or exhausted seabirds brought in this week.

Comment: See also these 2 recent reports from other areas of New Zealand: Hundreds of dead and starving seabirds wash up on beaches at Tasman Bay, New Zealand

Mass of dead and dying seabirds on Bay of Plenty shores in New Zealand

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Question

The riddle of hundreds of starlings falling from the sky in Rome

Tom Kington
The Times
Sat, 03 Feb 2018 17:24 UTC
dead birds
Dead starlings in Rome
The flocks of starlings that create choreographed patterns in the skies over Rome have mysteriously lost their aplomb, with hundreds falling to their deaths after colliding with each other

The birds began plummeting from the sky last weekend, leaving a litter of tiny corpses across roads and pavements. Normally, they weave intricate shapes in the sky, twisting and turning in formations known as murmurations to deter predators while providing a show for locals.

But at Porta Pia, one of the gates of Rome, and in other neighbourhoods, residents had to tiptoe around fallen birds' bodies, while mopeds risked skidding on corpses crushed by passing cars. "It was like a Hitchcock film — there was a lot of blood and the smell became horrible," Paolo Peroso, head of the Porta Pia residents' association, said.
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Black Cat

Tiger defies instincts to 'seek out human help' in Russian village after suffering painful gum problems

Will Stewart
Daily Mail
Wed, 31 Jan 2018 18:59 UTC
An endangered tigress defied all its normal instincts and walked out of the wild into a village to seek human help over a severe teeth and gum problem
An endangered tigress defied all its normal instincts and walked out of the wild into a village to seek human help over a severe teeth and gum problem
An endangered tigress defied all its normal instincts and walked out of the wild into a village to seek human help over a severe teeth and gum problem.

The rare predator - one of only 500 or so Siberian tigers living in their snowy natural habitat in eastern Russia - found a remote house and quietly lay down on the porch.

The big cats - the largest in the world - normally shun all human contact, but it was clear the exhausted and emaciated animal could no longer eat and needed urgent dental assistance.

Galina Tsimano, who lives in far-flung Solontsovy - 3,915 miles east of Moscow - explained how her neighbour on the outskirts of the village found the unexpected big cat on his doormat in the early morning.
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Question

Millions of kangaroos wiped out by mystery disease that causes massive haemorrhages and internal bleeding

Mikaela Barwick
Daily Mail
Wed, 27 Dec 2017 14:23 UTC
Red kangaroos have died from massive ­hemorrhaging and internal bleeding (stock image)
Red kangaroos have died from massive ­hemorrhaging and internal bleeding (stock image)
A mysterious illness has been killing millions of kangaroos which has left experts scratching their heads.

In NSW, wildlife researchers have found the red and grey varieties of kangaroos have died as a result of massive ­hemorrhaging and internal bleeding around the joints.

'You would see a whole family sitting there but they were all dead,' veterinarian Greg Curran told The Australian.

'It's a disease, it's not a genetic problem. We haven't been able to find a bacteria, we haven't been able to find a virus.

'Parasites, they aren't part of it. Given the huge area and different kinds of country and feed, its very unlikely to be a plant poisoning. You've ruled out all the known causes of diseases.

"The drop is so great it can't simply be due to culling rates. The number of ­animals that have been harvested for the meat market is low. It can't possibly be starvation or malnutrition,' Dr Curren added.
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Attention

Large whales are dying along the East Coast at an alarming rate - 29 minkes in a year, 62 humpbacks in 2 years and 18 right whales in 8 months

Maddy Lauria
delawareonline
Fri, 02 Feb 2018 13:44 UTC
whale
© Jason Minto, The News Journal
Three of the five large whale species known to frequent First State waters have been washing up on East Coast beaches at an alarming rate.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday announced minke whales - as well as humpback and endangered North Atlantic right whales - are experiencing what officials call "an unusual mortality event."

This is the first time the agency has seen three unusual mortality events of large whale species occur at the same time and in the same place, said Teri Rowles, coordinator of NOAA's Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Program.

"We're still going through the analysis to determine what might be the cause, and as we pull that information together across all the [species], then we'll have a better idea if there is a common causal or contributing agent that can be driving those [deaths]," Rowles said.
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Attention

Stranded whale discovered dead on beach in Indonesia


Netral News
Fri, 02 Feb 2018 08:48 UTC
Stranded whale on the beach.
Stranded whale on the beach.
Whale with a length of 16.5 meters and a height of about four meters was found dead by residents on the Beach Tompobatu of Lameroro Village, Rumbia Sub-district allegedly stranded during the tidal wave that occurred on Thursday (2/1).

Information gathered from one Police member in Bombana Resort Police, Second Police Brigade Kaslinda, Friday (2/2) confirmed the mammal animal was found by fishermen when going into the sea.

"The whale was allegedly carried by the current during a rapidly changing tidal wave, when a total lunar eclipse occurred," said Kasman (55), citizen of Lameroro Village, while watching the condition of the rare fish.
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Attention

Wild boar attacks villagers, killing one in Shaanxi, China (VIDEO)

Tiffany Lo
Daily Mail
Thu, 01 Feb 2018 20:50 UTC
They try to use shovels to draw the boar's attention away from the 66-year-old Zhang
They try to use shovels to draw the boar's attention away from the 66-year-old Zhang
A wild boar in northwest China was shot dead by snipers after attacking an old man and his daughter-in-law in a village.

CCTV footage shows the boar attacking an elderly man who fell on the ground, as his four family members try to distract it using shovels.

The 66-year-old man has died and a woman was seriously injured.

According to Beijing Youth Daily, the elderly man, surnamed Zhang, was chased after by a 220lbs wild boar when he was picking the coal to make fire in his house on January 31 afternoon.

Zhang was living in Peiba village in Ziyang of Shaanxi Province, along with a bedridden wife, his son and daughter-in-law.

The surrounding CCTV footage captured the moment of the brutal attack when Zhang was hit on the floor.

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Attention

Hundreds of dead and starving seabirds wash up on beaches at Tasman Bay, New Zealand

Nina Hindmarsh
Stuff
Wed, 31 Jan 2018 19:19 UTC
Hundreds of dead and sick fairy pirons are washing up around Tasman shores.
© Diane SowmanHundreds of dead and sick fairy pirons are washing up around Tasman shores.
Hundreds of dead and starving seabirds are washing up around Tasman's shoreline.

The rise in seawater temperatures could be to blame for hundreds of dead fairy prions washing up along the beaches in Tasman and Golden Bay.

There have been reports of people finding hundreds of dead, dehydrated and starving seabirds across the entire Tasman Bay, and all the way to Wharariki in Golden Bay.

Some are dropping the blue-grey birds to Natureland Wildlife Trust, in Nelson.

Director Meg Rutledge said they were currently caring for 13 dehydrated and starving birds, with more expected to arrive.

"It's not the first time historically that there have been such mass dying off of birds," she said.

Comment: The above story came from South Island, see also this recent report from North Island: Mass of dead and dying seabirds on Bay of Plenty shores in New Zealand

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