Virus threatens Mediterranean dolphins: Spanish paper

[katariana]

MADRID (Reuters) - Dozens of dead dolphins washing up along the Mediterranean coast have alerted environmentalists to a virus they fear will become an epidemic, El Mundo newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The region's striped dolphins, a protected species, are being infected with a virus which has not been identified and has so far killed several dozen animals along the coast and may spread, the report said, quoting environmental experts.

"We are at the start of an epidemic," Javier Pantoja, a marine conservation official at the Environment Ministry, was quoted as saying.

An Environment Ministry spokesman confirmed that a meeting on the issue would be held in September to try to coordinate action between Spain's autonomous regions, but could not give details of the virus and its effects.

The virus is the latest in a series of difficulties facing the Mediterranean environment. This summer, beaches have been hit by a plague of jellyfish believed by climate experts to be due to warmer sea temperatures as well as over-fishing of predators such as tuna.

By: http://www.reuters.com

[dodoman]

katalina, correct my spelling, this is a part that happened a while back.\
\\

the home folks has speard this issue with the easterners.
it bound to happen , sooner or later.

honestly to say . this is somthing that should have been notice years ago, but nnnooooooooooooooo, the eastern scientist had to keep ther mouth shut.
who knows whats going to happen next.

[Jay_In_SouthBay]

Isn't that happening here in Ca. with our whales as well? Anyone else see a pattern?

[dodoman]

heard about it, 3 or 4 whales in 9 days.

[Jay_In_SouthBay]

Yep. They also had one down in Baja. And Bush wonders why we are all concerned with the oceans....