Thousands of penguins washed ashore in Uruguay, cause unknown
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Most of the penguins found were juveniles, and it is believed that they died in the Atlantic Ocean and were carried to Uruguayan shores by currents.
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Dead penguins scattered on the beach of Barra Laguna de Rocha in Uruguay (AFP)
Approximately 2,000 Magellanic penguins have been discovered dead on the eastern coast of Uruguay within the past ten days, and authorities are still investigating the cause, ruling out avian influenza as a factor.
Most of the penguins found were juveniles, and it is believed that they died in the Atlantic Ocean and were carried to Uruguayan shores by currents.
The head of the Environment Ministry's Department of Fauna, Carmen Leizagoyen, revealed that 90 percent of the dead penguins lacked fat reserves and had empty stomachs.
Hundreds of penguins were found dead on #NewZealand's Ninety Mile Beach, and human-induced climate change is to blame.#ClimateCrisis pic.twitter.com/26WLmeYs1B
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 15, 2022
This is an unusually high mortality rate, with a similar die-off occurring last year in Brazil for unknown reasons. Experts suggest that overfishing and illegal fishing have contributed to the increase in penguin deaths, leading to a lack of food resources for the animals.
Additionally, a subtropical cyclone in the Atlantic in mid-July might have caused weaker penguins to perish due to harsh weather conditions. Other marine animals, including petrels, albatrosses, seagulls, sea turtles, and sea lions, have also been found dead on the beaches of Maldonado, located east of Uruguay's capital, Montevideo.
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