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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Concern for California's pelicans | Concern for California's pelicans |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Wildlife experts in California, US, are concerned about a mysterious illness affecting brown pelicans from San Diego to San Francisco. | Wildlife experts in California, US, are concerned about a mysterious illness affecting brown pelicans from San Diego to San Francisco. |
| Dozens of the birds - bruised and disoriented - have been landing on highways, airport runways, farm fields and house backyards. | Dozens of the birds - bruised and disoriented - have been landing on highways, airport runways, farm fields and house backyards. |
| The pelicans have been coming down many kilometres from their normal habitats. | The pelicans have been coming down many kilometres from their normal habitats. |
| The International Bird Rescue Research Center, which is dealing with the sick animals, says the cause is unknown. | The International Bird Rescue Research Center, which is dealing with the sick animals, says the cause is unknown. |
| "Typically this time of year we would see a significant die-off of young brown pelicans. We are seeing a larger than normal die-off of adults," it said in a release. | "Typically this time of year we would see a significant die-off of young brown pelicans. We are seeing a larger than normal die-off of adults," it said in a release. |
| Sometimes this behaviour has been associated with domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by marine algae (phytoplankton). The birds would take in the acid by eating fish and shellfish that have themselves ingested the algae. | Sometimes this behaviour has been associated with domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by marine algae (phytoplankton). The birds would take in the acid by eating fish and shellfish that have themselves ingested the algae. |
| But the pelicans were not exhibiting the other symptoms typical of this problem, the centre added. | |
| Blood samples and carcasses have been sent to laboratories for investigation, the LA Times has reported. | Blood samples and carcasses have been sent to laboratories for investigation, the LA Times has reported. |
| "We just became aware of this problem a few days ago," David Caron, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Southern California, told the paper. | "We just became aware of this problem a few days ago," David Caron, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Southern California, told the paper. |
| "By the end of the week, we'll have information that should tell us whether or not these animals test positive for phytoplankton toxins." | "By the end of the week, we'll have information that should tell us whether or not these animals test positive for phytoplankton toxins." |
| One theory is that the birds may have ingested chemicals from fire retardants used widely by emergency services recently to tackle severe blazes that ravaged the state. | One theory is that the birds may have ingested chemicals from fire retardants used widely by emergency services recently to tackle severe blazes that ravaged the state. |