There’s a horrific skin disease killing off the world’s favorite sea animals, and now we finally know what’s causing it. Scientists have linked a deadly skin disease found in dolphins to climate change. Today, all the world’s dolphins are at risk. (1)
Deadly Skin Disease Found in Dolphins Caused By Climate Change
Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, dolphins have been in trouble. It was shortly after this that marine biologists started finding a deadly skin disease in dolphins at alarming numbers. (2)
They saw this again in 2007 in Victoria, Australia, and in 2009 in Western Australia’s Swan-River Canning system. (2) Today biologists are seeing more and more dolphins dying from this horrific disease at a staggering rate. The difference is now they know that a climate change-induced increase in severe weather events is causing it. (1)
Freshwater Skin Disease Found in Dolphins
Scientifically named ulcerative dermatitis, freshwater skin disease found in dolphins is caused by prolonged desalination of the water that they live in. (1)
Intense weather events such as floods, hurricanes, and other storms dump massive amounts of freshwater into saltwater systems. Though dolphins are used to temporary fluctuations in the saline (salt) quality of the water, these are too long. (3) The weeks to months it takes for these systems to recover causes the dolphins’ prolonged exposure. (1)
This desalinated water causes a few things to happen to the dolphins’ skin (1):
- The skin becomes patchy and discolored
- Those patches turn to raised lesions that cover up to 70% of the animal’s body
- Fungus, bacteria, and algae that proliferate in the desalinated water colonize the lesions, causing swelling and ulcers
These lesions are the equivalent of third-degree burns in humans. (3) They cause changes to the dolphins’ blood chemistry, which eventually impacts their vital organs. (1)
“The breaks in the skin cause the dolphin to lose vital ions and proteins from their bodies,” explained veterinary pathologist Nahiid Stephens from Murdoch University in Australia. “It kills them because it causes electrolyte disruptions in their bloodstream and they ultimately end up with organ failure.” (3)
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The Link To Climate Change
The study, published in December by the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California in Scientific Reports, proves the disease and climate change are connected. Climate change is affecting weather systems worldwide, causing an increased frequency and severity of storms. (1)
As already mentioned, these storms are changing the dolphins’ habitats around the world. It is affecting dolphin populations in Australia, Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, Florida, and Mississippi. (2)
“With a record hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico this year and more intense storm systems worldwide due to climate change, we can absolutely expect to see more of these devastating outbreaks killing dolphins.” chief pathologist and study lead Pádraig Duignan from the Marine Mammal Center said. (4)
How to Protect The Dolphins
The outlook for these beloved marine mammals is not good. If climate change continues the way it is currently, freshwater skin disease could wipe out dolphins entirely. The only real way to save them is to slow down, stop, and reverse the effects of climate change. (1)
Stephens agrees:
“We have to tackle the wicked problem of climate change which is multi-faceted and we also have to alleviate other threats to dolphins, because how many more wake-up calls do we need before it’s too late?” (2)
Keep Reading: Deer That Visits Town Every Christmas Returns With An Arrow Through Its Head
References
- “Fresh water skin disease in dolphins: a case definition based on pathology and environmental factors in Australia.” Nature. Pádraig J. Duignan, et al. December 15, 2020.
- “Deadly skin disease found in dolphins linked to climate change.” CTV News. Denio Lourenco. December 20, 2020.
- “A painful skin disease is killing dolphins worldwide — scientists just found out why.” Miami Herald. Katie Camero. December 22, 2020.
