23 #turtles and 13 #dolphins found dead along coast of #Mississippi, #USA

Freshwater intrusion from the Bonnet Carre spillway is damaging aquatic life in the Mississippi Sound, with 13 dead dolphins and 23 dead sea turtles found along the Mississippi Coast in the last two weeks.

The carcasses are being necropsied by Mississippi State University veterinarians at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport. Executive Director Moby Solangi said the verdict is still out on the causes of death, but both the turtles and dolphins have skin and eye lesions consistent with freshwater damage.

Solangi said 22 of the dead sea turtles are endangered Kemp’s ridleys, while two baby dolphins are among the most recent dolphin carcasses retrieved. Carcasses are being found in all three coastal counties, he said.

Solangi said a total of 40 dolphins have been found dead so far in 2019.

Courtesy of theadvocate.com

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