Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Dolphins dying by the dozens along East Coast

(CNN) -- What's killing the East Coast dolphins?

The carcasses of dozens of the marine mammals, seven times more than normal, have been washing up on beaches this summer, and scientists are struggling for answers to the die-off.

In Virginia alone, at least 164 dead dolphins have been found this year, said Joan M. Barns, public relations manager for the Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach. Almost half of those, 78, have washed ashore in August, she said.

As of Tuesday, federal authorities say, they have recorded 228 dolphin deaths this year from New York to Virginia. In all of 2012, 111 deaths were recorded.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued an Unusual Mortality Event in response to the deaths. The declaration brings special federal attention to deaths as something that serves as an indicator of ocean health and may give "insight into larger environmental issues which may also have implications for human health and welfare," according to NOAA's website.

The current declaration for the mid-Atlantic bottlenose dolphins is one of 60 Unusual Mortality Events the agency has issued since they were established under the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1991. Causes, including infections, biotoxins, human intervention and malnutrition, have been determined for the 29 of those cases.

Early speculation into the latest deaths, which have spiked this month, is focused on an infection.


"Based on the rapid increase in strandings over the last two weeks and the geographic extent of these mortalities, an infectious pathogen is at the top of the list of potential causes for this UME, but all potential causes of these mortalities will be evaluated," NOAA said in announcing the mortality event. "Work is underway to determine whether an infectious agent affecting these dolphins is present in collected tissue samples."

Susan Barco, research coordinator for the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, said necropsies are providing clues.

"We're starting now to see lesions in their lungs that are consistent with some sort of a respiratory infection," she said. "We're seeing very active lymph nodes, which means they're actively fighting an infection."

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Too bad our oceans are a convenient cesspool. Sad.

Apparently it's anyone's guess what's stressing them and making them susceptible to a pathogen.

This might start a big argument but..... One has to wonder if 210 MILLION GALLONS of oil and 184 MILLION GALLONS of Corexit (dispersant) ?!?!?!?! couldn't have something to do with it!!! We aren't going to ever really know what the fall out will be from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

It is sad what we are doing to our Ocean's!

It is said, the Pacific side is now having fall out from the Nuclear melt down in Japan from over a year ago.

Yeah I saw on NPR that Fukoshimo is leaking radioactive waste again.

And the human population is only growing... I don't see things getting any better.

Honest to goodness...I love dolphins. I love most every living creature, and to demonstrate that here, I'll admit that it is hard for me to kill a fish. I simply can't stand seeing one gasping for oxygen, or hear it flopping around in the cooler.

Not that I don't love to eat fish in the worst way - I can eat my weight in catfish on any given night. I love meat too - cow, pig, lamb, chicken, rabbit, deer. I don't weigh 250 for no good reason.

That aside, it still doesn't change the fact that it is very hard for me to kill an animal, and I don't like it any better to hear of animals dying - especially due to some stupid son of a you know what doing something stupid or illegal or both to our land or water that will hurt an animal that can't do anything but suck it up and deal with it.

Considering all this, I'd like to suggest that 'dozens' of dolphins washing up on the shore does not seem like a real concern to me. Dolphins are not rare on the East coast - in fact, they are quite common. I would take an informed guess that there are 'dozens' of them right now swimming within 5 miles of my home...probably lots more.

I see that pic that was posted here, and the headlines on the internet and my first thought was to wonder 'what's the agenda here?'

I sincerely doubt it has anything to do with an accurate assessment of marine life or anything remotely to do with an accurate report on it.

I've seen too many instances where the government makes decisions that are absolutely contrary to specific, accurate and well documented data regarding our marine resources to have any faith in anything I see crawling across the internet.

(this website excluded, of course!)

I see your point and there is ALWAYS an agenda. We all know a negative story sells better than a positive story. On the other hand when there are 7 times the normal amount of dolphin deaths it may be something of a concern.