187 sea lions and 50 Pelicans found dead along the coast of Sechura, Peru

Peru Environmental authorities are investigating the death of 187 sea lions and pelicans 50 appeared stranded on the shores of the country during the month of October, reported a statement from the National Forest and Wildlife Service (SERFOR).

The bodies of four dolphins and four sea turtles in the same period were also found, so the SERFOR held Tuesday on the coast inspection to determine the cause of death and the subsequent stranding of marine animals.

The tour will cover the beaches of San Pedro, San Pablo and Vice Turtle Cove in the province of Sechura, belonging to the region of Piura, bordering Ecuador border.

The SERFOR said that the cause of death may be multiple, “from parasitic diseases or pathological entanglements with fishing nets ingestion of debris such as plastic bags or accidents of oil activities,” among other reasons.

The head of the nature reserve Illescas (Piura), Aldo Aguirre said Monday Efe only on the coast of the natural landscape, covering 52 kilometers, 117 seals were killed in October.

According to the expert, the cause of death of marine animals is presumably the lack of food, as fish stocks may have moved to a greater depth due to an increase of water in the ocean surface.

“If you look at the last two years, and there was a high and abnormal number of strandings in summer, between the months of February and March, and it did the same in the year 2014, but assume that this phenomenon was ahead, as it should occur in the first months of 2015, “said Aguirre.

The head of the natural area reserved Illescas indicated that this hypothesis has yet to be confirmed with a more comprehensive and thorough investigation.

The Sea Institute of Peru (IMARPE) recently released a report that matches the same hypothesis, arguing that the bodies of mammals and birds appear very underweight.

“Throughout the year, there have been abnormal conditions in our sea that have altered the natural distribution of marine organisms. (…) The changes in anchoveta entailed events seabird mortality and recently also see sea lions dead and stranded, “said the document.

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