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Mass dolphin deaths in Peru | Mass dolphin deaths in Peru |
(about 11 hours later) | |
More than 400 dead dolphins were found in January on | More than 400 dead dolphins were found in January on |
the Pacific Ocean beaches of northern Peru where twice that number were | the Pacific Ocean beaches of northern Peru where twice that number were |
encountered in the whole of 2012, officials have said. | encountered in the whole of 2012, officials have said. |
Authorities never established the cause of the deaths in 2012. They are | Authorities never established the cause of the deaths in 2012. They are |
doing autopsies on the latest dolphins found in the | doing autopsies on the latest dolphins found in the |
Lambayeque region on the northern coast. | Lambayeque region on the northern coast. |
Technician Jaime de la Cruz of Peru's Imarpe marine life agency said | Technician Jaime de la Cruz of Peru's Imarpe marine life agency said |
about 220 dead dolphins were found in the last week of January alone, the rest | about 220 dead dolphins were found in the last week of January alone, the rest |
during the previous three weeks. Autopsy results were expected in two weeks. Examinations would focus on lungs, kidneys and livers. | during the previous three weeks. Autopsy results were expected in two weeks. Examinations would focus on lungs, kidneys and livers. |
Autopsies of some of the more than 870 dolphins found in 2012 were | Autopsies of some of the more than 870 dolphins found in 2012 were |
inconclusive. Speculation ranged from biotoxins in the sea to seismic | inconclusive. Speculation ranged from biotoxins in the sea to seismic |
testing or an unknown ailment. | testing or an unknown ailment. |
Yuri Hooker, director of the marine | |
biology unit at Cayetano Heredia | |
University, told the Associated Press that in other parts of the world | University, told the Associated Press that in other parts of the world |
dolphin deaths generally were caused by environmental contamination when | |
they ate fish or other smaller species filled with toxins. | |
Hooker said others died after ingesting discarded plastic floating in | |
the | |
sea. | sea. |
The marine biologist said determining the death of dolphins | |
was complicated in Peru because government laboratories had only three | |
or | |
four of the world's 100 or so chemicals that could be used for | four of the world's 100 or so chemicals that could be used for |
determining an animal's cause of death. | determining an animal's cause of death. |