MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

“The Department of Conservation is staying tight-lipped over the deaths of a group of penguins on the East Coast.

At least 14 have been found washed up along Waihau Bay.

Anti-oil protesters claim seismic testing in the Raukumara Basin is to blame.

DOC is choosing to stay out of the debate until it knows for certain the cause of death.”  Read more.

“MORIAH, N.Y. — Crews are cleaning up the thousands of dead fish that have washed up along Lake Champlain’s New York shoreline, including a stretch where public campgrounds and beaches are being prepared for opening this spring.

Lakeside residents in Vermont began reporting thousands of dead alewives showing up along the shore earlier this month. Vermont fisheries biologists say alewives, a species not native to the lake, are sensitive to frigid temperatures and likely died off during the winter.” Read more.

By Summer Smith – “MANATEE COUNTY — A mystery is brewing on Manatee County’s beautiful beaches — researchers are trying to figure out why sharks are washing ashore dead.

Recently more than a dozen dead sharks were found on the north ends of Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island.

‘There were no real indicators of what went wrong with them,’ Dr. Nick Whitney, Staff Scientist for the Center for Shark Research at MOTE Marine Laboratory said. ‘There are no obvious signs of damage from fishing or net damage or anything like that.’

The species of sharks found were bonnetheads, blacknose and sharpnose.” Read more.

“In the past three days, five more common dolphins have washed up on Southern California beaches, dead or dying, bringing the total death toll to 16 dolphins and one Dall’s porpoise since April 1.

‘The dolphins that are washing up on the beaches are a window to what’s going on in the ocean’s environment,’ said Joe Cordaro, a National Marine Fisheries wildlife biologist. ‘Undoubtedly more animals are dying at sea. It’s just impossible to say how many.’

Most have washed ashore from Malibu to Newport Beach, including recent strandings at Rat Beach, Manhattan Beach and here in Hermosa Beach.”  Read more.

“A large number of dead whales have been found around Greenland and authorities are scratching their heads as to why. Now it has come to light that such a spate of sudden deaths may not be unprecedented.

KNR reported at the end of March that hunters from Attu had found eight dead great whales. Now the Department for Hunting and Fishing says it has happened several times in the past.

Hunters and fishermen have also reported finding a dead humpback by Eqalungaarsuit in southern Greenland and a dead sperm whale at the Itilleq, south of Sisimiut.

Biologists and hunters have been unable to explain the causes of death. The Department for Hunting and Fishing and the Greenland Natural History Institute are trying to gather more information about the whales and have set up several scenarios for what might have happened.”  Read more.

“At least 1,000 anchovies and sardines have died in the Ventura Harbor from what officials believe is a lack of oxygen.

The fish were first seen dead or dying about 6 a.m. today, with some belly up in the water and others struggling to survive. Sea lions, along with hundreds of sea gulls and pelicans were swooping in to eat the fish.

‘There are quite a bit that are dead,’ said Pat Hummer, a senior officer with the Ventura Harbor Patrol.”  Read more.