THOUSANDS of Dead Fish In Ft. Pierce, Florida

     Thousands of dead fish were reported Thursday afternoon on the west bank of the Indian River Lagoon about a mile north of the Martin-St. Lucie county line near Indian River Drive and Mockingbird Lane. Tony DiChristofaro of Stuart, said he saw “thousands and thousands of dead fish coming ashore” about 2 p.m. Thursday as he was walking along the lagoon beach. DiChristofaro said the dead fish extended along the shoreline for about a mile. “They were still coming in,” he said, “but some of them looked like they’d been there for several hours.” Kevin Baxter, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lab in St. Petersburg Baxter said samples of the dead fish will be collected Friday.

Feds Declare ‘Unusual Mortality Event’ After Sea Lion Deaths Off SoCal Beaches

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/04/01/feds-declare-unusual-mortality-event-after-sea-lion-deaths-off-socal-beaches/

Hundreds of thousands of dead fish on Masonboro Island North Carolina

     Hundreds of thousands of dead fish have been reported this week at Masonboro Island by state environmental officials, according to a spokesperson for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Environmental officials explain that the fish, Atlantic menhaden, which travel in very large groups, took a wrong turn, up Loosins Creek. In under an hour, the area caused dissolved oxygen levels in the water to drop to close to zero, which ended up killing them. As a result, the dead fish have been discovered along the island’s beaches and in the water. Officials say they’ve noticed a pattern of dead fish in winter months and attribute it to the menhaden tightening their school. Workers with Coastal Management, Water Quality and Marine Fisheries are keeping an eye on the area, and throughout the weekend, dead fish will probably continue to surface. The workers have a monitoring station set up that checks the water for dissolved oxygen levels, temperature, pH levels and other data.

DEAD SARDINES IN FLORIDA , LIVESTOCK In PAKISTAN

SANIBEL ISLAND FLORIDA 1-5-2013

    The yellow color of the water is a sign that red tide once again is affecting Sanibel Island, according to one scientist, concentrations are highest at the Sanibel boat ramp, but they don’t know yet how toxic it is. Thousands of dead sardines are washing up on Sanibel’s Nerita Beach, most likely killed by toxic red tide. “We’ve been coughing like mad we’re down here for an hour or two, burning nostrils it’s not pleasant,” Chris Boesen, Sanibel resident. Red tide happens naturally, but scientists are trying to figure out whether freshwater from the Caloosahatchee makes the bloom more intense. “I don’t like t that’s for sure and i see it as a question and I can pick my days to come to he beach and just avoid some days not coming down here,” Boesen said. For visitors, avoiding red tide can be more complicated, some people tell us they are willing to deal with its affects during a short stay on a beautiful island. The best way to avoid red tide is to stay upwind of the water. Pay attention for an itchy scratchy throat feeling that may be a sign of the toxin and don’t eat or let your pets eat anything dead that washes up on shore.

PAKISTAN 1-5-2013

     Much to the horror of the animal bearers, a large number of deaths have been reported within a week in Ghotki and Sukkur [Sindh province]. According to the villagers buffaloes and cows feel congested in breathing and die in a short time span. The sudden death of buffaloes, cows, and goats has forced the breeders to watch their means of livelihood die in front of their eyes. Moreover, some 1.5 million domestic animals are believed to be suffering from this unknown disease. I [reporter Hashim Abro] appeal to the President of Pakistan to direct the concerned provincial departments to set up campus for the treatment of the domestic animals in the affected districts and also direct the veterinary doctors to make regular visits to the villages throughout the province so as save the domestic animals, which become a sole source of income and livelihood for poverty and sorrow-stricken villagers in the rural areas of Sindh province.

RED TIDE KILLS Off THOUSANDS Of FISH On FLORIDA BEACHES

        Officials say red tide is responsible for thousands of dead fish that have washed up along the beaches in Sarasota and Charlotte counties. The dead fish started washing ashore on Monday. Crews spent Thursday afternoon cleaning the beaches along Blind Pass, Manasota and Englewood Beach. Sarasota park and recreation director George Tatge calls the red tide outbreak “significant.” He says most of the dead fish are large mullet. Tatge suspects a large school of mullet likely got caught up in a red tide bloom and washed ashore thanks to strong wind from the west. Officials say the beaches are safe. But people with asthma or chronic respiratory issued should be wary of the red tide conditions. Red tide can also be dangerous to dogs.

ANIMALS DYING IN MASS NUMBERS!!!

12-20-2012

AUSTRALIA

      Livestock producers are urged to check their cattle for signs of botulism following confirmed cases near Longreach, Winton and Aramac. Biosecurity Queensland Animal Biosecurity and Welfare Inspector Nicole Restelli said climatic conditions were contributing to the recent cases. “Recent confirmed cases of botulism have been found in areas where it doesn’t usually occur. All producers should monitor their herds for symptoms and take appropriate preventative measures. “Prompt diagnosis and control measures can help bring the situation under control,” Ms Restelli said. “If livestock owners suspect botulism is the cause of disease in stock, it is important they seek immediate assistance from a veterinarian as the disease can result in significant losses over a short period of time. Ms Restelli said producers were urged to take preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of outbreaks in their herds. “Botulism is caused by livestock ingesting a toxin that is produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria which can be found in decaying animal and vegetable matter,” Ms Restelli said. “Animals are likely to eat decaying matter when there is a deficiency of phosphorus and protein in the feed that is available and when feed quality and quantity declines. “Producers can deter botulism outbreaks in their herds by preventing stock having access to animal carcasses, controlling vermin and pest animals, and providing nutritional supplements of protein and phosphorus to reduce bone chewing. “Taking care with harvest and storage of feeds to reduce the possibility of small animals contaminating feeds and checking water sources regularly are also recommended. “Vaccination programs are essential in endemic areas and are the best form of protection for livestock,” she said.

NEPAL

    The Central Veterinary Lab, Tripureshwar has confirmed that chicken at a poultry farm in Dharke, Naubise in Dhading district died due to bird flu. Samples were taken for test from local Laxmi Pokhrel’s poultry farm after the chicken started dying all of a sudden at the poultry farm since December 13. A meeting of the District Livestock Office, Dhading, chaired by Chief District Officer and Chairman of Bird Flu Technical Committee, Dhading district, Bed Prasad Kharel, held today, declared the area around the farm as bird flu infected area and decided to cull the fowls here to prevent the disease from spreading to other areas. The District Administration has appealed to local representatives of the political parties, poultry farmers, media workers, civil society members, and local people, including other stakeholders to provide the necessary cooperation in the task carried out by District Livestock Office, Dhading. All the 3,000 dead fowls at Pokhrel’s farm have been securely buried, said Member Secretary and Senior Livestock Development Officer, Devendra Bhagat.

SHEEP Dying In NIGERIA

Over a week after the mysterious death of about 1600 sheep in Tungan Madugu village of Gwadabawa local government area of Sokoto State, residents of the community say they are still afraid of eating meat. “We did not buy meat within those days that the animals were dying and even now, we are afraid of buying meat,” one local resident told Daily Trust. The animals, which were said to belong to Fulani nomads from Niger Republic, reportedly died after drinking from an open well at Gidan Jihadi village in neighbouring Kware local government area. Village head of Tungan Madugu, Mal. Mohammed Lawali, said when the herdsmen, about 6 in number, came with their herds into the village, they noticed that the animals were ailing and dying. Upon inquiry, the herdsmen said they suspected the water the animals drank at a village before coming to Tungan Madugu village.

At Gidan Jihadi village where the well at the centre of controversy is situated, the village head Shehu Magaji said the well in question had been abandoned for sometimes. “We have other wells which we are using,” he said. Magaji said the well was actually covered but the herdsmen opened it when they wanted to fetch water for their herds. “We later saw a dead fowl in the well,” he stated. During Daily Trust visit to the Tungan Madugu village there were still tales and signs of the dead animals. Our reporter saw parts of those that were burnt. Permanent Secretary Sokoto State Ministry of Animal Health, Alhaji Shehu Bawa, said samples of the dead animals and water from the well were taken for examination in the state and at the National Veterinary Research Institute Vom, Plateau State. According to him, immediately the incident happened, staffs of the ministry were mobilized to the abattoir and livestock market to create awareness and warned butchers against buying such animals. The permanent secretary said some people were positioned at the entry points of Kware and Gwadabawa local government areas, and that with the assistance of men of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, some affected animals being brought in were intercepted and confiscated. He said the affected herdsmen were assured that government assistance was underway.

Alhaji Bawa said the state government had already provided vaccines and other supporting medications to curb the spread of the diseases. He added that authorities of the local governments affected have made their efforts to treat the animals and spread chemicals in the areas where the animals died and those places they were burnt and buried. He said the ministry is also making arrangement to fumigate the area.

H5N1 BREAKOUT In BANGLADESH

      An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has been reported to the OIE. The outbreak was reported by Dr Musaddique Hossain, Director (Animal Health & Administration), Department of Livestock Services, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The outbreak occurred at Brothers poultry farm, a commericla poultry farm in Pabur, Kapasia, Gazipur, Dhaka. In total, 156 birds died out of 4191 susceptible birds. The remaining 4035 birds were destroyed as a result.

POISONED FISH In NEW ZEALAND

     A public health warning to people collecting shellfish along Auckland’s coastline has been extended. On Saturday, the Auckland Regional Public Health Service said routine shellfish toxin testing from the Manukau Harbour showed high levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, which could cause paralysis or respiratory failure in extreme cases. The expanded area now incorporates shellfish collected from Mohakatino (Taranaki) north to Maunganui Bluff (north of Dargaville), as well as the Manukau and Kaipara Harbours. Shellfish including kina, mussels, toheroa, pipis, tuatua, oysters, cockles and scallops taken from the affected areas should not be eaten and officials stressed cooking them would not remove the poison. Paua, crayfish and crabs can still be taken, however the gut should be removed before cooking. It is safe to eat the flesh of fish, but not the guts of fish that feed on algae or shellfish. Symptoms of the poisoning usually occur within 12 hours after eating shellfish containing the toxins and can include numbness and tingling around the mouth, face or extremities, difficulty swallowing or breathing, dizziness and double vision or worse. Shellfish and seawater samples would continue to be tested regularly by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Hundreds of Dead Fish in St Peters Billabong

Hundreds of dead fish have been found washed up in St Peters Billabong. Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council workers were at the billabong, in St Peters Park, earlier this afternoon removing the dead fish. A Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council spokeswoman said a lack of oxygen in the water caused by decomposing leaves killed the fish. She said the leaves swept into the billabong were predominantly from Second Creek. The council was not concerned about the health of other wildlife in and around the billabong. In 2005, hundreds of carp in the billabong were killed by dirty stormwater. A faulty rubbish trap was believed to have contributed to those deaths. The high carbon levels in the stormwater, caused by a mixture of leaves and road grime, reduced oxygen levels in the billabong, suffocating the carp.