Marie-Rose
Senior Nomad
Posts: 894
Registered: 10-2-2003
Location: Victoria, B.C. and Todos Santos
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Mood: Worried...
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Dead pelicans
Our beach walk was very disturbing this morning. Everyday there seems to be more dead birds and several who are dying on the beach or near the water.
It is very sad. Most of them with broken wings. Probably 10-12 birds in a quarter mile walk.
We have been told that there is a virus that is making them sick and weak and that the surf is the cause of the broken wings. Does anyone have any
knowledge of what is happening? (there have also been fishing boats off shore for the last week... gone today)
Remember, when in Mexico, yes may be no and no may be
maybe!
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Mulegena
Super Nomad
Posts: 2412
Registered: 11-7-2006
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Red Tide?
So sorry about the pelicans.
Last year and now there was/is an algae bloom in the Bay of Conception which appears as a reddish sludge near the shoreline. The visibility at depth
is affected also (I'm a diver) like swimming through clouds. There were many coots dead last year in the bay.
Any correlation? Don't know.
[Edited on 2-23-2009 by Mulegena]
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CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
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Location: The Valley of the Moon
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Mood: Peacefull
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There have been reports of commercial fishing nets near the coast. These sightings were reported in the most recent issue of the BWO ....
Perhaps a connection ?
CaboRon
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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The nearest clue is suposed to be domoic acid. Our local paper had an article on the subject about a month ago. No certainty as to cause appears to
exist so far.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/09/BAMA1564T4.DTL&hw=dead+pelicans&sn=001&sc=1000
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3812
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
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Would illness cause their wings to break? It's sad to think that there might be human misdoings behind it all. I remember when pelicans were showing
up on the beaches in Bahia with the top of their beak/bills sawed off. It's a shame.
P<*)))>{
edit: I just can't remember what the proper name for their boca is!
[Edited on 23-2-2009 by Paulina]
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
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Paulina, I think it's "beak/bills" ...dt
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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BajaBruceFan
Junior Nomad
Posts: 33
Registered: 12-27-2007
Location: SJD
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Mood: unpocoloco
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Had the same sad experience walking the beach the other day. 
We counted over 50 dead pelicans and the worst thing was seeing this one with his wing broken and dragging, just wandering the beach hopelessly.
To me, it really looked like it got caught in the fishing nets.
Not sure if it's a coincidence but also hundreds of the puffer fish washed up dead in same area. Also saw lots of dead gulls there today too...
Definitely seems like there might be a connection with to the commercial fish (shrimp?)boats that were fishing less than a hundred yards offshore all
of last week...
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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if they are weak i can see them getting drilled onto the shore be a wave or three.
it's sad but probably will make the species stronger. at least the ones that survive whatever it is that's causing this.
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Cardon Man
Super Nomad
Posts: 1319
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Thetis Bank
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Mood: !Al Chingaso!
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Dead birds....
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaBruceFan
To me, it really looked like it got caught in the fishing nets.
Not sure if it's a coincidence but also hundreds of the puffer fish washed up dead in same area. Also saw lots of dead gulls there today too...
Definitely seems like there might be a connection with to the commercial fish (shrimp?)boats that were fishing less than a hundred yards offshore all
of last week... |
The die-off is effecting the entire Pacific coast population of pelicans. It is doubtful that commercial fishermen are connected to all the dead birds
though I do assume they are connected to the dead puffer fish.
I recall a few years ago, 2004 I believe, when there was a similar die-off of pelicans here at the East Cape. I was told by a friend who studies
birds for a University in the Northwest that such die-offs were a natural occurence in the pelican population however the recent problem with the
pelicans is far more wide spread and not yet fully understood.
I agree that being beat up by waves could be causing the broken wings. However, I have seen struggling pelicans attacked by pet dogs unable to resist
the easy tartet. I would also assume that a coyote would also make a grab for a sick bird and could easily result in broken wings.
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BirdDog
Nomad
Posts: 182
Registered: 3-9-2007
Location: Iowa
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Mood: Desperate to move to Baja
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I saw one get slammed by the surf last year in Asuncion. It broke it's wing. Look to be healthy and flying ok right before it happened. We were there
for about a month in September and there always seemed to be at least one dead or dying Pelican around the whole time. Surf was pretty big not sure
if that was the only cause.
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