Hundreds of birds found dead, dying at 2 MN lakes
- added July 23, 2008
- 10 responses
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- JanforGore
- added this
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- Earth and Science (12447)
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- mysterious deaths (1)
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials made a disturbing discovery in two lakes, finding hundreds of birds dead or dying.
Officials say double-crested cormorants, pelicans, ring-billed gulls and a great blue heron were found last week at Minnesota Lake in Faribault County and Pigeon Lake in Meeker County.
DNR biologists say the dead birds included 687 cormorants and 37 pelicans. DNR workers discovered the dead and dying birds while banding pelicans.
Before heading into the troubled waters of Minnesota Lake, DNR Area Wildlife Manager Joel Anderson wrapped himself in protective clothing and putting on heavy boots.
Beyond the shoreline and farther than the eye can see he's cleaning up a small island, following the disturbing, yet mysterious discovery.
"They noticed and found a lot of dead cormorants and few pelicans," said Anderson. On Minnesota Lake, more than 300 cormorants and more than three dozen pelicans were found dead.
Some birds were still alive, but they were suffering from a health problem. Many could not hold up their heads or breathe, and they were close to dying. Officials believe the birds had been there for several days.
"We know it's some type of wildlife disease, but we don't know what it is yet," said Anderson.
Initial tests for avian influenza were negative, but officials say the cause of the bird illness hasn't been determined yet.
The scene at Minnesota Lake is just like the one at Pigeon Lake, a hundred miles away. DNR officials found a few hundred more dead birds that had been there for two, possibly three weeks.
They think birds flying between the two lakes might have spread the disease. Right now, officials believe the problem at both lakes is related, but they're not exactly sure.
Anderson said he will euthanize the sick animals on the island on Minnesota Lake. He and other experts don't want more birds to come down with the same thing.
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This is so sad.There is something not right with nature. Not only are birds dying, but fish in the Great Lakes as well due to some sort of virus, and of course, colony collapse disorder with bees. My question is, how long until one gets to humans?
Officials say double-crested cormorants, pelicans, ring-billed gulls and a great blue heron were found last week at Minnesota Lake in Faribault County and Pigeon Lake in Meeker County.
DNR biologists say the dead birds included 687 cormorants and 37 pelicans. DNR workers discovered the dead and dying birds while banding pelicans.
Before heading into the troubled waters of Minnesota Lake, DNR Area Wildlife Manager Joel Anderson wrapped himself in protective clothing and putting on heavy boots.
Beyond the shoreline and farther than the eye can see he's cleaning up a small island, following the disturbing, yet mysterious discovery.
"They noticed and found a lot of dead cormorants and few pelicans," said Anderson. On Minnesota Lake, more than 300 cormorants and more than three dozen pelicans were found dead.
Some birds were still alive, but they were suffering from a health problem. Many could not hold up their heads or breathe, and they were close to dying. Officials believe the birds had been there for several days.
"We know it's some type of wildlife disease, but we don't know what it is yet," said Anderson.
Initial tests for avian influenza were negative, but officials say the cause of the bird illness hasn't been determined yet.
The scene at Minnesota Lake is just like the one at Pigeon Lake, a hundred miles away. DNR officials found a few hundred more dead birds that had been there for two, possibly three weeks.
They think birds flying between the two lakes might have spread the disease. Right now, officials believe the problem at both lakes is related, but they're not exactly sure.
Anderson said he will euthanize the sick animals on the island on Minnesota Lake. He and other experts don't want more birds to come down with the same thing.
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This is so sad.There is something not right with nature. Not only are birds dying, but fish in the Great Lakes as well due to some sort of virus, and of course, colony collapse disorder with bees. My question is, how long until one gets to humans?
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- JanforGore
- 2 months ago
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Hmmm... This sounds scary similar to this: http://current.com/items/89129598_mystery_as_dead_birds...
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- Ionstorm2040
- 2 months ago
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I thought the same thing.
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- JanforGore
- 2 months ago
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First the bees started dying off and disappearing and we couldn't explain it.
Then the birds in Austrilia started dying and we couldn't explain it.
Then hundreds of dead birds on the other side of the world in Minnesota started dying and we couldn't explain it.
Then the mysterious (and massive) fish kills that we can't seem to account for.
I get the terrifying feeling this might all be connected and we're not going to see how until it's too late.
But I'm sure the CEO's of Blackwater, Exxon and Haliburton are all working on the problem, right? -
Oh yeah, they're working to make as much profit off it as they can. And I agree with you, I think it is all related to environmental factors brought on by our total disregard and degradation of the very systems meant to sustain us. IMO this is no fluke.
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- JanforGore
- 2 months ago
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I dont know why, but all this things remind me to the story of the environmental disaster book "The Swarm".
Small things happen first and in the end all hell breaks loose...
I hope there is no connection between this...-
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- Ionstorm2040
- 2 months ago
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I have that same feeling Ionstorm2040.
I'm reminded of the first days of the drought of the Great Dust Bowl.
I'm sure the farmers were thinking, "Huh. A little dry this year. I bet it'll rain next week."
Years later they're starving, covered in dust and watching as their last emaciated cow lying on its side, to weak to stand, desperately tries to gnaw on one of the wooden fence posts....as yet another massive dust storm start moving toward them over the horizon.
Personally I'm really worried about the colony collapse disorder that's killing off all the pollunating bees. Without the bees we can grow the crops we need. -
So Mysterious.....I just hope they can contain it best they can till biologists can at least identify it....
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google "honeybee deaths" ... the cause is not quite so unknown as y'all think it is..
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/200... -
With regard to the bees, GMO pollen may well be the culprit.
http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Transgenic-Pollen-Monarch20...-
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- Vierotchka
- 2 months ago
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I live in mn. and haven't heard about these birds..You would think the local news would have covered this kind of story..??
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