Dolphin deaths along the Atlantic Coast are happening at an usually high rate, scientists say. This has lead to a federal investigation of the large dolphin die-off happening off the US East Coast. It is being called an “unusual mortality event” by officials, meaning the crisis demands an emergency investigation.
Since early July nearly 100 dolphins have been reported to have washed up on beaches and shores, reports Yahoo! News. Almost all are found dead. Those found still alive appear ill and die soon after. Reports of dolphins washing ashore stretch from New York down to Virginia.
An increase in reported bottlenose dolphin deaths were noted with an upswing that began in June. Mortality rates rose even more in July, and scientists working with federal agencies are now scrambling to uncover the cause of these deaths.
Wired reports that one official believes it could take at least several months before there are answers , however. 35 dolphin deaths have been reported in August so far, in little over a week.
The majority of the dolphin deaths seem to be happening in the southern Chesapeake Bay area, with many bodies being found on shores there. In July, 35 were found on New Jersey and New York coasts.
Scientists have examined some of the dolphin bodies washing ashore. Four in New Jersey were found to have pneumonia. One also had morbillivirus. Though this does not necessarily mean this is the cause of the mass die-off, it is concerning.
In the late 1980s there was a large dolphin mortality event along the US Atlantic Coast. It took three years, but scientists discovered that nearly 750 dolphins had died from a deadly disease known as morbillivirus. The virus is similar to measles, but affects marine mammals.
Tests are currently being done on dolphin bodies for morbillivirus. If the pathogen is behind the large number of recent dolphin deaths , scientists worry there is nothing they can do to stop it.