July 19, 2008
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Hundreds of baby penguins swept from the icy shores of Antarctica and Patagonia are washing up dead on Rio de Janeiro's tropical beaches. Niteroi, the state's biggest zoo, is treating about 100 penguins, many of them soaked in petroleum after passing through an offshore oil field.
While it is common to find some penguins swept by strong ocean currents from the Strait of Magellan, there have been more this year than at any time in recent memory, an environmental official said Friday.
Rescuers and those who treat penguins are divided over the possible causes.
Among the theories:
Overfishing may be forcing the birds to swim farther for food, weakening them and leaving them vulnerable to the strong currents.
Pollution may be weakening animals' immunity, leaving them susceptible to funguses and bacteria.
Changing ocean currents, caused by global warming, may be creating rougher seas.
The Associated Press
