Cancers Threaten Wild Animal Populations

// added June 27, 2009 // 4 comments //
Image...
retro_Syl
If this Green Turtle appears sad, perhaps it is pondering the newest threat to its endangered species. Green turtles belong to the groups of marine denizens known to suffer from high levels of cancer in the wild. Cancer kills about one in every ten humans; now a new study done under the auspices of the Wildlife Conservation Society reveals that some wild animal species are dying at similar rates. Tazmanian devils, turtles, whales, sea lions, dolphins and fish are some of the species shown in the study to be suffering from elevated rates of cancer, in some cases threatening the very survival of the species.

So whats causing these elevated cancer rates?

One cause is pollution. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Beluga whales living in the Saint Lawrence River estuary, collector of smelting effluents and known to have elevated levels of cancer causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Higher rates of cancer in bottom feeding fish point to the potential dangers of carcinogens lurking in the sediments at the bottom of lakes and waterways.

Any others you can think of?
  1. groups:
    News,   Earth and Science,   Science,   Health
  2. tags:
    News Earth and Science Health Environment 7 more

4 comments // Cancers Threaten Wild Animal Populations

current videos