A mysterious spate of flamingo deaths in Kenya is worrying wildlife experts.
Hundreds of so-called lesser flamingos living in Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria in
western Kenya have died in the past week, and many more are sick. In 1993 40,000
birds died, and 20,000 were lost in 1995—with no obvious cause.
“Investigations into the recurring spates of deaths have been going on for a
long time, but it really is a mystery,” says John Barker of the World Wide Fund
for Nature. Researchers think heavy metal pollution or a viral infection are the
most likely culprits. “But it could be any one of a number of things,” Barker
says.
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