Unaccustomed to extreme temperatures, more than 1 billion sea animals along Canada’s Pacific coast are likely to have died from last week’s record heatwave.
Shockingly, its being reported that several tens of thousands of small marine animals like clams, mussels, sea stars, and snails were found boiled to death in a Vancouver, Canada, beach during this record-breaking heat wave and heat-dome situation in Canada.
The death of these marine-creatures will temporarily affect water quality in the area as mussels and clams filter the sea water by ingesting the suspended particles in sea water.
By calculating how many dead sea animals were found in a small area, Chris Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, has estimated to CBC that more than a billion seashore animals living along the Salish Sea coastline might have died.
Last week’s historic heat wave led to a mass mortality event for shellfish — the impacts could have effects for growers, tribes and tourism. Last week I went to see talk with those who got hit hard, one person described it like “a forest fire throughout the Puget Sound.” 1/ pic.twitter.com/Yqxq89tHS3
— Matthew Smith (@MattSmithKIRO7) July 6, 2021
The death of these marine-creatures will temporarily affect water quality in the area as mussels and clams filter the sea water by ingesting the suspended particles in sea water.
By calculating how many dead sea animals were found in a small area, Chris Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, has estimated to CBC that more than a billion seashore animals living along the Salish Sea coastline might have died.
Harley was alerted to the sea-animals deaths when he smelled a foul stench coming from Vancouver's Kitsilano Beach on Sunday.
British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, hit record-high temperatures three days in a row in late June, hitting almost 50 degrees Celsius (121.3 degrees Fahrenheit ) on June 29.
Experts have warned that British Columbia needs to adapt to the reality that sudden and sustained heatwaves are likely to become more common as a result of climate change.
British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, hit record-high temperatures three days in a row in late June, hitting almost 50 degrees Celsius (121.3 degrees Fahrenheit ) on June 29.
Experts have warned that British Columbia needs to adapt to the reality that sudden and sustained heatwaves are likely to become more common as a result of climate change.
3/ As the story aired I just got an update from one researcher, who writes: “Reports continue to come in. This is getting sadder.” Meanwhile, a video from Cherokee Beach was just sent my way. 📸: Loree and John Williams pic.twitter.com/bitDxAhhyZ
— Matthew Smith (@MattSmithKIRO7) July 7, 2021
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