photo credit The Guardian via Reuters
Scientists are trying to figure out what's killed over 500 penguins that washed up on Brazilian coasts recently. The penguins are of mixed species, but most are Magellan penguins which migrate north from Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands this time of year to find food.
"Many are not finding it: autopsies done on several birds have revealed their stomachs were entirely empty – indicating they likely starved to death."
Overfishing and shifting currents due to climate change and are suspect.
Typically a few penguins a year get disoriented and lost on their migrations and end up on the shores of Brazil.
Says Thiago do Nascimento, a biologist at the Peruibe aquarum: "What worries us this year is the absurdly high number of penguins that have appeared dead in a short period of time."
Full article here (The Guardian)
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