Preliminary studies indicate that intake of toxins in seaweed is the possible cause of the death of 84 turtles and a dolphin found on coast of Puerto Vallarta, said the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection of Jalisco.
Reports indicate the investigation was conducted by the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Regional Integral Development (CIIDIR) of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) unit in Sinaloa, through its Laboratory of Wildlife and Emerging Diseases.
In a statement, the federal agency said it launched an investigation since the first report of dead animals discovered along various beaches in Puerto Vallarta.
The noted that as part of the preliminary investigations, the CIIDIR-IPN tested two of the recovered black sea turtles (chelonia agassizii), and found evidence of drowning and high gelatinous organisms in the stomach, mainly salps, at levels which could cause death..
The report states between April 8-15, the discovery of 84 sea turtle bodies and four live turtles were discovered, plus a dolphin, all stranded on the coast of Puerto Vallarta, after initial reports of tourism service providers, who sighted some bodies floating in the sea.
He explained that during a tour, four marine turtles were observed and described as having erratic behavior. Two of the turtles were captured and transferred to Dolphinarium, a facility by Vallarta Adventures, for observation.
At the facility they took blood samples, stomach lavage and sample copro, but results have not yet been released.
Monitoring will continue and the public is urged to report any issues they observe with marine life in the area.
Sorce: NTX / HPP / HAR
Preliminary studies indicate that intake of toxins in seaweed is the possible cause of the death of 84 turtles and a dolphin found on coast . . .
