ALARM


Peruvian Dolphins, Birds Dying

No official explanation for large number of deaths.

Unusually large numbers of dolphins and seabirds have been washing up dead in Peru, causing panic as officials have yet to conclusively come up with a cause. At least 877 dolphins and more than 1,500 birds have died since the government began tracking the deaths in February, the Environment Ministry said last week. The deputy environment minister insisted the deaths were not related, saying the most likely culprit in the dolphin deaths was morbillivirus and the “most plausible” cause of death among the seabirds is a lack of food. But that explanation doesn’t satisfy those who think it may be related to seismic testing by oil and gas companies.