Loons are dying due to Avian Malaria for First Time (Cross-post from GD)

[HuckleB]

http://perfscience.com/content/2143709-loons-are-dying-due-avian-malaria-first-time

"Climate change is blamed to bring along lots of unpleasant impacts on environment and wildlife. Recently, researchers have held climate change a possible cause of loons’ death. Loons are a relatively common sight on many New England lakes. The researchers found malaria parasite in blood samples of some Loons, one was found dead with avian malaria.

Researcher Mark Pokras with his associates have been finding the cause behind loons’ death. Thousands of blood samples taken from these birds over past 30 years indicated the birds were suffering from lead and mercury poisoning as well as other pollutants. At that time, the birds weren’t suffering from avian malaria, according to their findings.

However, the recent claim concluded after the research conducted by Pokras and Ellen Martinsen, a Vermont-based research associate with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, refuted earlier findings by Pokras that did not blamed malaria for birds’ death. A few years ago, they started finding malaria parasites in loon blood samples taken from birds. They detected 12% of samples testing positive. Some of them were expected to be infected with malaria.

Last summer, the researchers found first case of a loon dead out of avian malaria. The loon was on Umbagog Lake located in Maine and New Hampshire. The researchers are further looking for the dead loons that may give another evidence of similar death. Volunteers of Loon Preservation Committee, especially those whose offices are on the loon-populated Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, are searching on lakes across the state for more evidences.

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