Mystery surrounds death of nearly 2,000 penguins on Uruguay's coast

Around 2,000 dead penguins found on Uruguay's eastern coast in the last 10 days. Authorities search for cause as they suspect overfishing and weather impact.

(Image for representation purpose only; Credit: Getty Images)

Over the past 10 days, approximately 2,000 dead penguins have washed up on the eastern coast of Uruguay, leaving authorities puzzled as the cause of death remains unknown. The deceased penguins, primarily juveniles, were discovered in the Atlantic Ocean and carried by currents to the shores of Uruguay, as stated by Carmen Leizagoyen, the head of the Environment Ministry's fauna department. While avian influenza has been ruled out, the reasons behind this significant mortality event have yet to be determined.

Magellanic penguins, known to nest in southern Argentina, migrate north during the southern hemisphere winter in search of food and warmer waters, sometimes reaching as far as the coast of the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo. Carmen Leizagoyen emphasized that around 90 percent of the deceased penguins were young specimens lacking fat reserves and with empty stomachs. The scale of this die-off is unusual, although similar incidents occurred last year in Brazil without a clear explanation.

"This is mortality in the water. Ninety percent are young specimens that arrive without fat reserves and with empty stomachs," Leizagoyen said. "It is normal for some percentage to die, but not these numbers."

Hector Caymaris, director of the protected area Laguna de Rocha, reported counting more than 500 dead penguins along a six-mile stretch (10 kilometers) of the Atlantic coast. Environmental advocates suspect that overfishing and illegal fishing may be contributing to the increase in Magellanic penguin deaths. Richard Tesore from the NGO SOS Marine Wildlife Rescue noted that the lack of food resources has been observed since the 1990s and 2000s, indicating overexploitation of the resources.

Another contributing factor to the penguin deaths could be a subtropical cyclone that hit southeastern Brazil in mid-July, causing harsh weather conditions that may have affected the weakest animals. Richard Tesore pointed out that he has also discovered dead petrels, albatrosses, seagulls, sea turtles, and sea lions on the beaches of Maldonado, an eastern department of Uruguay's capital, Montevideo. This alarming situation highlights the potential impact of human activities and natural phenomena on marine wildlife populations in the region.