Blog
Unhealthy oceans
24th November 2014
As we use the oceans as a waste site for our growing industrial and commercial waste, impacts on wildlife are becoming increasingly common.
On Anconcillo beach in the Ancash region of Peru, 500 dead sea-lions have been found. This isn't an unusual event in this area as earlier this month 200 sea lions, dolphins, turtles and pelicans were found washed ashore.
Scientists have looked into the possibility of the deaths being linked to natural causes or as a result of a bacterial or viral infection which targets such wildlife. No agreed cause has been determined.
Possible causes include ingestion of plastic. This is known to be an issue in the Pacific and many animals each year are found to die from eating such products. Oil exploration off the coast causing noise and pressure waves from explosions are also being investigated but have been quickly denied by officials.
