Peru Says Red Tide Culprit in Dolphin Mortality Event

According to early reports, a toxic alga that destroys the organs of the animals is the cause of the mass mortality event that has killed hundreds of dolphins off the northern coast of Peru.

A preliminary report of the Instituto del Mar del Peru (Imarpe) indicates that dolphins <http://elcomercio.pe/tag/362789/delfines-muertos?tipo = tags_noticias> and other mammals, such as seals and porpoises that beached in recent weeks on the beaches of Piura and Lambayeque perished by degeneration in various internal organs. The cause is thought be toxic algae that is activated during the summer by various climatic factors and pollution.
The results of four tissue samples of dolphin and a penguin were subjected to pathological examination showed that organs such as the kidney, liver, brain and adrenal glands of the animals showed degenerative indications

The veteranarians of IMARPE, (Peru’s Institute of Marine Studies) determined that the spleens and lymphatic systems of the dead animals had beeen diminished demonstrating that they suffered a moderate decline in their immune systems.

DEADLY ALGAL BLOOM
The report indicates that the animals were possibly poisoned by eating a poisonous algae that occurs naturally in the sea, which is triggered by the change of summer temperature and pollution, among other factors.

IMARPE is still awaiting the full results of the analyzes performed on animals and phytoplankton to determine with certainty if the algae is causing the deaths.

STILL DYING

Specialists from IMARPE of Piura, Lambayeque (Santa Rosa) and central Peruvian coast continue to record more dead animals in the northern beaches. It is estimated that in the last 10 days 100 dolphins, waterfowl, turtles and sea lions were found dead.
The Regional Manager of Production for Lambayeque officially has a record of 459 dolphins, porpoises, sea lions, turtles and birds that beached on the coast of Lambayeque and reserving Illescas, located south of Piura.

NB: Unusual mortality events are also occurring along the eastern coast of the United States, in the Indian River Lagoon of eastern Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico. 

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Según primeros informes, un alga venenosa que destruye los órganos de los animales sería la causante de la varazón.
WILFREDO SANDOVAL
Corresponsal
Un informe preliminar del Instituto del Mar del Perú (Imarpe) <http://elcomercio.pe/tag/9525/imarpe>  indica que los delfines <http://elcomercio.pe/tag/362789/delfines-muertos?tipo=tags_noticias>  y otros mamíferos —como lobos y chanchos marinos— que vararon en las últimas semanas en las playas de Piura <http://elcomercio.pe/tag/36343/piura>  y Lambayeque perecieron por cuadros degenerativos en diversos órganos internos. La causa sería un alga tóxica que se activa durante el verano por diversos factores climáticos y por la contaminación.
Los resultados de cuatro muestras de tejidos de delfines y de un pingüino que fueron sometidas a exámenes patológicos demuestran que órganos como el riñón, el hígado, el cerebro y las glándulas adrenales de los animales presentaron cuadros degenerativos.
Los veterinarios del Imarpe determinaron que los animales muertos tenían afectados el bazo y los ganglios, lo cual demuestra que sufrieron una moderada disminución en sus sistemas inmunológicos.
ALGA MORTAL
El informe del Imarpe indica que los animales posiblemente se intoxicaron al comer un alga venenosa que existe naturalmente en el mar, la cual se activa por el cambio de temperatura del verano y la contaminación, entre otros factores.
El Imarpe aún espera los resultados completos de los análisis practicados a los animales y al fitoplancton para determinar con total certeza si el alga es la causante de las muertes.
SIGUEN MURIENDO
Especialistas del Imarpe de Piura, Lambayeque (Santa Rosa) y del centro del litoral peruano continúan registrando más animales muertos en las playas norteñas. Se calcula que en los últimos 10 días se hallaron 100 delfines, aves acuáticas, tortugas y lobos marinos muertos.
La Gerencia Regional de Desarrollo Productivo de Lambayeque oficialmente tiene un registro de 459 delfines, marsopas, lobos marinos, tortugas y aves que vararon en el litoral de Lambayeque y la reserva de Illescas, ubicada al sur de Piura.
Según esta fuente, personal del Imarpe de Lambayeque registró que el 79,9 % de los animales varados fueron cetáceos (delfines de diversas especies); 8,93%, lobos marinos; 7,65%, tortugas; y 3,46%, aves.
La mayor parte de las especies (97,26 %) fue localizada en estado avanzado de descomposición, de algunas incluso solo quedaba el esqueleto, por lo que fue imposible determinar las causas de la muerte.

500 Dolphins Dead On Peru Beaches

   At least 500 dolphins have been found dead on beaches in northern Peru. The cause of death is under investigation according to The Peruvian Sea Institute, or IMARPE, which sent a team of scientists to investigate why the dolphins beached themselves in the northern regions of Lambayeque and Piura.
   The mass mortality event (MME) is occurring at the same time of year as an MME in 2012. No cause was definitely established.
   The Peruvian team covered a 142-kilometer (88-mile) stretch of coast on Jan. 28-29, traveling from Pimentel, a resort city in Lambayeque, to the southern part of the reserve in Illescas, located in Piura. This is the same area of beach investigated by BlueVoice in February, 2012.
   “In five hours we found more than 600 dead dolphins,” said Hardy Jones, executive director of BlueVoice.org. In the most recent case, experts found at least 400 beached dolphins. That discovery comes after about 100 other dolphins beached themselves in recent weeks.
   Fishermen told the IMARPE team that the dolphins were caught in nets regularly and drowned, according to the Lima newspaper El Comercio.  “During 2012 all the dolphins we documented were unmarked showing no signs of net entanglement,” according to Jones.
   The IMARPE scientists, confirmed that some young and adult dolphins died at sea and others arrived on the beaches near death.
   Tests conducted on tissue samples in Lima determined that the marine mammals were not poisoned by fishermen and did not die from the effects of extractive activities in the regions. The marine mammals may have died from ingesting toxic algae, the head of IMARPE’s Lambayeque office, Jaime de la Cruz, told El Comercio.
   Dolphins migrate to the Peruvian coast at this time of year to mate and feed, De la Cruz said.
A report on the 2012 MME ruled out some possible natural causes of the deaths, including lack of food, bacterial infections, viral infections and biotoxins. But there is no concensus that viruses were not involved. Some forms of morbilla virus can only be detected by highly sophisticated scientific apparatus. Morbilla is the leading suspect in the MME off the Atlantic coast of the USA.

   “The fact is that no one really knows why these dolphins are dieing. It is occurring at a time when large numbers of dolphins are dieing along both the Gulf coast and the Atlantic coasts of the United States,” said Jones. “These catastrophes must be investigated and the causes found. There may be profound implications for human as well as dolphin health,” according to Jones