Scientist: Whale deaths off Alaska island remains mystery

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Researchers may never solve the recent deaths of 18 endangered whales whose carcasses were found floating near Alaska's Kodiak Island, a scientist working on the case said Monday.

Samples taken from one of the 10 fin whales were at least a week old, which could throw off test results, said Kate Wynne, a marine mammal specialist for the University of Alaska Sea Grant Program. The carcasses of eight humpback whales also were found.

The carcasses of the marine mammals were discovered between Memorial Day weekend and early July. Most of the animals were too decomposed for sampling.

Both species of whales feed close together, and scientists speculate the animals might have eaten something toxic in waters that were significantly warmer than average at the time. One test came back negative for one toxin that would be present in harmful algal blooms, and another test is still pending, Wynne said.

FULL story at link.



In this June 8, 2015 photo, provided by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Gulf Apex Predator Prey project, a fin whale lies dead on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Researchers may never solve the recent deaths of 18 endangered whales whose carcasses were found floating near Alaska's Kodiak Island, a scientist working on the case said Monday, July 27. (Bree Witteveen/University of Alaska Fairbanks via AP)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3e2b118081db467a932f9d8a15108518/scientist-whale-deaths-alaska-island-remains-mystery

[NuclearDem]

1. Damn you Fukushima!

[Generic Other]

3. So you are saying they shouldn't bother to explore that possibility?

"A muscle-tissue sample is being tested for the possibility of radionuclides from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster." Seems very wise to rule out any possible causes. You act like Fukushima was/is a harmless roadside attraction.

[Mnemosyne]

4. Thank you. nt

[NuclearDem]

5. Hardly.

What I was ridiculing was the idea of people blaming Fukushima radiation for every bad thing that happens inside the Pacific Rim.

[Generic Other]

8. Once they determine Fukushima is not involved

they can examine other questions. Isn't that how science works?

There are a lot of possibilities for what may have caused such a large number of whales to die. Until they stop the steady leak of poison from Fukushima, it will continue to be a potential danger to life in the Pacific, so ridiculing people really doesn't accomplish a thing, nor does it help resolve the problem.

I hope there are some people on DU that have more info than you have offered on the whale deaths as I care very much about the deaths of whales, melting of starfish, contaminating of the ocean in my backyard, etc.

[cstanleytech]

6. How does that explain the starving shearwaters?

[NuclearDem]

7. Fukushima works in mysterious ways.

[cstanleytech]

9. So does Santa and the easter bunny and dont get me started on the tooth fairy.

[Generic Other]

10. Shearwaters eat plankton as well as crustaceans?

And whales also eat plankton. Maybe the warmer water is disrupting their food supply? There seems to be a large number of unexplained deaths along the whole Pacific coast in the past few years. Sea lions starving in California. Starfish melting. Now whales. I have heard every theory from viruses to algal blooms to contamination of the water by Fukushima. No one has definitively offered an answer. But there are DUers who ridicule anyone who asks questions.

I don't understand the attitude myself.

[shenmue]

2. Crap