Why are you dying?
The Peninsula Daily News has reported up to 300 rhinoceros auklets have washed up onto the eastern shorelines of the Strait of Juan de Fuca since May. The cause of death is unknown, with theories ranging from starvation to possible contagions, poisons or toxic algae blooms.
An earlier report from KLCC noted that autopsies in Wisconsin showed "zero body fat" indicating starvation and a probable lack of food. In the recent Daily article, Julia Parrish, executive director of the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team notes 72,000 of the birds are successfully breeding, indicating food appears to be relatively plentiful, and is quoted as saying, “That actually is the information we're using to decide it's not a general lack of food.”
While a concern, KLCC also notes: It's a tiny toll compared to the dieoffs of other species of seabirds in 2014 and 2015. Common murres and Cassin's auklets washed up by the hundreds of thousands up and down North America's west coast.
In the end,assuming the marine waters will remain a safe source for sea food with no action remains a risk.
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