1000 Endangered Seagull Chicks Die Mysteriously in Israel Nesting Area, Testing Underway

(Photo : Pierre Crom / Getty Images)
1000 endangered seagull chicks inexplicably perished in an Israeli nesting place.

According to Officials, testing is being conducted on the 1000 endangered seagull chicks that mysteriously perished in a nesting area in Israel over the past few days.

The Nature and Parks Authority, along with the Society for the Protection of Nature, issued a joint statement on Wednesday stating that they are still investigating the exact reason behind the birds' fatalities.

1000 Endangered Seagull Chicks Found Dead

The chicks were living in the largest colony of its sort in Israel's northern Atlit region. Most of the birds died within days of one another, according to the groups, and the first fatality happened a month ago in a remote location in the colony.

The young birds, most of which were three to five days old, included both terns and the rare pygmy gull species.

According to a joint statement obtained by The Times of Israel, this abrupt mortality implies that two species of seagulls that are at risk of extinction in Israel will no longer have a nesting season.

Several potential causes of death, including avian flu and Newcastle Disease, were ruled out by veterinary examinations, according to the Society for the Protection of Nature and the parks authorities. However, the organizations also noted that the tests revealed signs of the "opportunistic" bacteria Shigelloides Plesiomonas, which can harm chicks either alone or in conjunction with other germs.

Officials claimed that although samples were sent for additional testing to determine whether other viruses were involved, no results have yet been obtained.

The report noted that a tiny coastal island near Atlit's sea gull colony appeared to be equally impacted; no chicks were seen, but there were about 80 pairs that were either incubating or nesting. A colony in the Hula Reserve did not seem to be affected, according to the report, as there was at least one additional chick per couple, The Times of Israel reports.

Recent Bird Kills

At Scotland's Forvie National Nature Reserve, 200 dead sandwich terns and a few dead black-headed gulls were just discovered. Samples had been taken out for testing, according to environmental agency NatureScot, and the results would determine whether it was bird flu.

The organization is worried about the enormous avian flu outbreak of the past two years. In order to ensure that we have the greatest monitoring and guidance for land managers in place, the agency intends to continue working with partners through the Scottish Task Force, BBC News reports.

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Along the shores of the western Mexican states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Jalisco,Guerrero, Michoacan, Sonora, and Baja California Sur, some 300 wild birds of diverse species were discovered dead last weekend.

Authorities in the area claimed on Thursday that the El Niño climate phenomenon, which is currently causing a severe heat wave to grip the nation and its neighboring oceans, was likely to blame for the deaths of several hundred wild birds along the Pacific coast of Mexico.

The agriculture and environment ministries of the country worked together to reach the conclusion that warmer ocean temperatures brought on by El Niño were more likely to be the cause than the authorities had previously believed, according to reports from Reuters.

Related Article: 200 Sandwich Terns, Black-Headed Seagulls Found Dead in Scotland Forest Reserve, Avian Flu Tests Underway