The algal bloom, a sudden increase in the number of algae in the marine environment, began in March and covers an area of about 4.500 square kilometers, roughly the size of nearby Kangaroo Island, the BBC reported.
“This is an unprecedented event because the bloom is continuous and the algae is spreading,” said wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirot. Other scientists point out that the algae releases toxins that “act as a suffocating toxin” to numerous marine organisms, including fish, rays and sharks.
"The fish are literally suffocating"
Brad Martin, South Australia project manager at fisheries conservation group OzFish, said the scale of the event had a devastating impact on marine life even though algal blooms were relatively common.
Martin told the BBC that toxins released by the algae can cause "gill and tissue damage" by attacking red blood cells. Because of the extreme density of the algae, oxygen is pulled out of the water, "so we know that the fish are literally suffocating," he said.
The situation is well documented thanks to the many photos of dead marine life sent in by citizens after they were washed up on sandy beaches.
Particularly poignant are the scenes of sharks and rays found washed up on the shore in large numbers, bright red and with visible signs of internal bleeding. Among the animals that have died in recent weeks was a three-meter-long great white shark. Of the more than 200 species that have gone extinct, from the smallest juvenile fish to the giant basking shark, some were more vulnerable than others.
Exposure to large amounts can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems.
Those that live on coral reefs, such as crabs, are the hardest hit because they are less mobile and cannot swim away from the toxic algae. Although this algae is not directly dangerous to humans, exposure to large amounts can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems such as coughing and difficulty breathing.
“This is an unprecedented event because the bloom is continuous and the algae is spreading,” said wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirot. Other scientists point out that the algae releases toxins that “act as a suffocating toxin” to numerous marine organisms, including fish, rays and sharks.
"The fish are literally suffocating"
Brad Martin, South Australia project manager at fisheries conservation group OzFish, said the scale of the event had a devastating impact on marine life even though algal blooms were relatively common.
Martin told the BBC that toxins released by the algae can cause "gill and tissue damage" by attacking red blood cells. Because of the extreme density of the algae, oxygen is pulled out of the water, "so we know that the fish are literally suffocating," he said.
The situation is well documented thanks to the many photos of dead marine life sent in by citizens after they were washed up on sandy beaches.
Particularly poignant are the scenes of sharks and rays found washed up on the shore in large numbers, bright red and with visible signs of internal bleeding. Among the animals that have died in recent weeks was a three-meter-long great white shark. Of the more than 200 species that have gone extinct, from the smallest juvenile fish to the giant basking shark, some were more vulnerable than others.
Exposure to large amounts can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems.
Those that live on coral reefs, such as crabs, are the hardest hit because they are less mobile and cannot swim away from the toxic algae. Although this algae is not directly dangerous to humans, exposure to large amounts can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems such as coughing and difficulty breathing.
