UNDIAGNOSED DIE-OFF, FISH - KENYA: (MARA RIVER)
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu 17 Feb 2010
Source: The Standard Mobile [edited]
<http://m.standardmedia.co.ke/newsM.php?id=2000029328>
The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), Public Health Ministry, and Kenya Wildlife Service are investigating the deaths of fish in Mara River.
Conservationists suspect the deaths that started last week [week of 7 Feb 2011] might have been caused by agro-chemicals from farms, which drain into the river.
Hoteliers in Masai Mara Game Reserve are now expressing fear that the chemicals might kill animals that depend on the river.
"The deaths could have been caused by agro-chemicals from large scale farms on the upper side of the river. The chemicals might also kill hippos, crocodiles, and other animals that drink water from the river," said Ben Kipeno, a conservationist from the northern side of the reserve.
Mr Kipeno said on Wednesday [16 Feb 2011] there were unconfirmed reports that apart from fish, a crocodile and a hippo have already succumbed to effects of the chemicals.
He urged the Government to rein in farmers along the river who use potent chemicals and claimed that despite several complaints to NEMA no action has been taken.
Officials from KWS [Kenya Wildlife Service] who were dispatched from Nairobi took samples of the fish to the Government chemist for further tests to ascertain the cause of the deaths. When The Standard visited the river, dead fish were floating with scavengers, including the Marabou stork, feeding on them.
The Narok South NEMA officer in charge Gabriel Tambushi said initial reports had indicated that more than 5 million fish were killed at the confluence of the seasonal Moyan River in Transmara with the Mara following a heavy flood.
"The sudden change of weather that resulted in a heavy mist covering the water surface, inhibiting fish and other animals that depend on the river from breathing, might have been the cause of the deaths,"
said Tambushi. [Perhaps what this is trying to say, is that there was less oxygen in the water. I have never known of a fog to cause fish to die. - Mod.TG]
He did not rule out poisonous agro-chemicals from farms, which depended on the Mara River for irrigation.
[Byline: Kipchumba Kemei]
--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[A heavy flood can wash soil, sediment, and a variety of chemicals, plant life, animal waste, etc. into a water drainage area, such as the river. While agricultural chemicals may be involved it seems extremely early to be making such comments.
Kenya had 2 issues of potential water poisoning last year (2010).
Some areas of Kenya have carbofuran, a very toxic pesticide, in use and this could be a possible cause. However, flood waters are likely to dilute most chemicals to the point that they would not cause a problem.
However, if the river is used for drinking water, then this becomes a separate issue from that of the dead fish.
Hopefully the samples collected will yield information about what has happened to the fish. The article does not tell us if one type of fish or various types of fish were affected. Neither does the article tell us how many miles or kilometers of the river are affected. Information such as this would be useful to the readers and to the investigators.
A flood washing chemicals into a river could cover an extensive area vs. a small area and this article contains no information to give the reader a picture of the extent of this situation.
A full necropsy of the fish, and appropriate testing should help us understand what is happening here. However, unless the dead fish are cleaned up, they will soon be a perfect medium for the growth of bacteria that can produce botulism. Then when other animals, such as birds consume the dead fish or the maggots infecting the dead fish, then they will be poisoned by botulism and we will be hearing about a host of dead birds in the same area.
We look forward to the results of the investigation and the findings from the necropsy. - Mod.TG
The big, ugly,carrion-eating Marabou stork (_Leptoptilos
crumeniferus_):
<http://www.tenikwa.com/images/stories/tenikwa-wildlife-marabou-storks/len%20%20one%20of%20tenikwas%20marabou%20storks.jpg>
- Mod.JW
The Mara River runs through the Masai Mara Game Reserve in south western Kenya and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, and eventually flows into Lake Victoria. It can be seen on the map at <http://geology.com/world/kenya-map.gif>. The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Kenya is available at <http://healthmap.org/r/0usr>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
[see also:
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - New Zealand: RFI 20110112.0136 Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (03): (AR), RFI 20110107.0085 Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (02): (MD) 20110106.0058 Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA: (AR), freshwater drum 20110104.0035 2010
----
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - Kenya (02): water poisoning susp. RFI
20100915.3349 28
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (16): (NE, NY) 20100828.3068 07 Undiagnosed die off, fish - USA (15): (MS) 20100807.2694 05 Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (14): (CA) 20100805.2640 04 Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (13): (MN) catfish 20100804.2630 Undiagnosed die-off, fish - Kenya: (Lake Naivasha) 20100221.0592] .................................................sb/tg/mj/jw
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted or archived material.
0 comments:
Post a Comment