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?
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?
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- retro_Syl
- added this
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here's the tumor on the turtle above.
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that is SOOOO sad
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- julesrs007
- 4 months ago
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One of my professors in college raised beef cattle in the midwest and where high wattage power lines passed through his ranch he told the class that a lot of the cows developed tumors.
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- grungem0nkey
- 4 months ago
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something like 75% of all sea turtles in the Florida keys suffer from these tumors.
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- davesarush
- 4 months ago
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keep browsing
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