Over 300 Seals, Sea Lions Found Dead In Siberia; Experts Eye Toxins, Poisons, Viral Infections As Possible Causes

(Photo : Getty Images/Martin Bernetti)

Environmental groups discovered dead seals and sea lions along the Tyuleniy Island in the Sea of Okhotsk.

More than 300 northern fur seals and Steller sea lions have been found lifeless as to what experts deemed as a possible "mystery mass die-off" in the small, uninhabited island of Tyuleniy Island in Siberia.

The said island has been known as the 'Island of the Seals,' and is located in the Sea of Okhotsk. This area serves as an important breeding ground for northern fur seals or the Callorhinus ursinus.

Aside from seals and sea lions, dead birds were also found in the island.

Cause still undetermined

Experts are still trying to determine the reason behind the massive deaths of these animals. At present, they are looking at poisons, toxins and viral infections as contributors to these mystery mass death.

According to Primorsky Aquarium Chief Veterinarian Maria Chistaeva, avian flu is being considered as the reason behind the deaths. She noted that it is important to identify the cause of the mass death by taking tests and having a study about toxins and viral infection.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention explained that the avian influenza or bird flu refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses.

There have been studies checking the whether the strain has been affecting the marine mammal populations. Initial studies by experts have suspected that there might be bird-to-seal transmissions of avian flu in regions such as Maine and coastal Peru.

In these areas, the H5N1 had devastated wild bird populations. Further, it was detected that from January to February of this year, more than 3,000 sea lion deaths were recorded in Peru and many of them had tested positive for H5N1.

Experts said that these viruses naturally spread among wild aquatic birds worldwide and it can later infect domestic poultry as well as other bird and animal species.

There have been specialists from the Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service who had conducted emergency visit to the island. The group already collected biological samples that were sent for analysis.

The results of the analysis could be released after a month.

Meanwhile, officials have also established quarantine zones for avian flu in several coastal regions on the nearby Sakhalin Island, which is located at 10 miles or 17 kilometers from Tyuleniy Island.

151 seals rescued

At least 151 seals were reported to be rescued during the expedition to Tyuleniy Island, organized by the Boomerang Club and the Friends of the Ocean.

Every year, a group of scientists, veterinarians, and volunteers go to the island to conduct rescue work rescue northern fur seals from plastic waste that ended up in the sea because of the activities of human beings.

The volunteers said that in the small island of Seal, about 130,000 fur seals are residing. About 2,000 of these animals are slowly dying due to traces of human carelessness.

They noted that saving animals is not easy, however, the most difficult task is to convey to the public that nature needs responsible human behavior.

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