Thousands of seabirds found dead along coasts in United Kingdom: Report

Thousands of seabirds have been discovered dead around northeastern England and Scottish shores. The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), that is examining the cause of the deaths, said that the bulk of the seabirds were guillemots. Bird carcasses have been discovered around the coasts of Northumberland and North Yorkshire, as well as along the Scottish coastline. Apart from guillemots and razorbills, puffins and kittiwakes have also been affected on a large scale.

Meanwhile, according to several birdwatchers, thousands of dead animals washed up on beaches and many were observed floating at sea, reported The Independent. While the specific cause is yet to be ascertained, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) claims that climate change is compounding the factors that are causing a decline in the seabird population. 

Dr Francis Daunt, an ecologist at the CEH, said that the birds are malnourished, with many of them weighing less than half of their normal weight, which is dangerously low. He went on to say that algal bloom poisoning could be one cause of their suffering, but a few experts have stated that the climate crisis is certainly a contributor. Meanwhile, Keith Marley, who runs the New Arc Wildlife Rescue Centre in Aberdeenshire, believes that climate change is the reason behind the death of seabirds. He further stated that it's definitely not the case of bird-flu and hazardous occurrences rarely affect such a large area, so the obvious conclusion is that variations in seawater temperatures are playing a role, as reported by The Independent.

'Most of the seabirds were found to be malnourished'

Marley further stated that while his centre had been able to save some birds found on adjacent beaches, a number of them had become so malnourished by the time they washed up on land that there was nothing that could be done for them, even if they were still alive. It should be noted that such mysterious mass deaths are not uncommon as they can be triggered by everything from bird flu to extreme weather, however, the magnitude of the suffering has made this one stand out, reported The Independent. According to a study published in 2015, the world's seabird populations had declined by 70% in the last 60 years. Michelle Paleczny, the study's primary author, believed that seabirds were a "strong indicator of the health of maritime ecosystems."

Image: PTI/Representative