We've Got Another 'Unusual Mortality Event': 462 Dead Seals Have Been Found Off New England's Coast This Summer
New York Post - The federal government is declaring the deaths of hundreds of seals off the New England coast this summer to be an “unusual mortality event.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday it will investigate the “elevated strandings of harbor and grey seals in the Northeast attributed to disease.” It said 462 seals have been found dead off the New England coast in July and August, with most off of Maine and others off of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The NOAA has said tests indicate dead seals found in New England tested positive for avian flu and phocine distemper.
It is with a heavy heart that I bring you the tragic news of the passing of 462 grey and harbor seals off the coast of New England this summer.
It feels like just the other day we were still coming to grips with the loss of some 300 Mexican sea turtles.
Dealing with the loss of some beloved sea creatures is hard enough as is, but when I heard the news about all these lovely fucking seals, I almost had a complete mental breakdown.
To put it simply, everyone loves seals. If you don’t love seals, there’s like a 99% chance you’re an asshole. Seals are cute, they’re fun, they can be vicious when they want to, and they even make glorious noises. The world is a better place with as many seals living on it as possible.
Scientists have determined that the majority of the recovered dead seals tested positive for avian flu and phocine distemper. For those of you who don’t like to use fancy words, avian flu is another name for bird flu, and it’s bad news. As for phocine distemper, some simple research will tell you it’s a disease that was first discovered in 1988, causing the death of over 18,000 seals off the Northern coast of Europe.
If this new information and ‘unusual mortality event’ is a sign of phocine distemper returning to our planet’s seal population, scientists better put their hard hats on and figure out a solution pronto. I’ve made it through the past ‘unusual mortality events’ of Summer 2018, and although it wasn’t easy, I’ve maintained a healthy mindset and persevered. If we’re about to start losing seals by the thousands, I’m not entirely sure my fragile heart can take it.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is on the clock. It’s time to step the fuck up, and stop this potential disaster before it becomes a reality.