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Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Toxic algae killing sharks, rays, crabs: "Like a horror movie for fish"
A vast bloom of toxic algae is killing more than 200 species of marine life off the southern coast of Australia, scientists and conservation groups say. The algae — Karenia mikimotoi — appeared in waters around South Australia state in March, causing mass deaths in species including sharks, rays, crabs and octopuses. "There are carcasses littering beaches," said Brad Martin, a manager of the non-profit fish conservation group Ozfish. "It is like a horror movie for fish," Martin told the BBC. Beaches on wildlife-rich tourist draws such as Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula and Fleurieu Peninsula have been affected. The bloom stretches across 1,700 square miles, Martin said -- an area larger than Japan or Germany. Karenia mikimotoi has been detected around the world since the 1930s, including off Japan, Norway, China and the United States where it has disrupted local tourism and fishery industries, causing millions of dollars worth of damage. In California, hundreds of seas animals have died due to a toxic algae bloom stretching from San Diego to San Luis Obispo, CBS Los Angeles reported last month. But Martin said South Australia had not previously experienced a toxic algae bloom of this scale or duration. "It's an unprecedented event, because the bloom has continued to build and build," wildlife scientists Vanessa Pirotta told the BBC. The South Australian government said the event is thought to have been driven by a marine heatwave, as well as relatively calm marine conditions. Marine biologist Shauna Murray, who identified the algae species for the authorities, said it damages the gills of fish and prevents them from breathing. "It is not pleasant," said Murray, from the University of Technology Sydney. "It will probably take some time for the ecosystem to recuperate." While conditions usually ease towards the end of April, there had been no relief yet, South Australian Environment Minister Susan Close said this month. "We need a big change in weather to break this thing up -- there is nothing we can do to precipitate this," she told national broadcaster ABC. In the meantime, South Australian authorities have urged beachgoers to avoid swimming in water that is discolored or foamy, warning that it can irritate the skin and affect breathing. Climate change has led to an increase in the frequency and duration of marine heatwaves across Australia, which significantly affects marine ecosystems. Sneak peek: Fatal First Date Trump teases "good news" on Russia-Ukraine war Sneak peek: The Footprint
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Popular beauty influencer shot dead during TikTok livestream
A Mexican social media influencer was shot dead during a live stream on TikTok, where she had tens of thousands of followers, authorities said Wednesday. The Mexican press named her as Valeria Marquez, 23, who posted videos related to beauty and lifestyle, some of which had hundreds of thousands of views. She was killed on Tuesday evening at her beauty salon in Zapopan, a suburb of the western city of Guadalajara, the Jalisco state prosecutor's office reported. "The victim is someone with an active presence and influence on social media," it said in a statement. "A man entered the premises and apparently fired a gun at her." According to the Reuters news agency, Marquez was seen on the livestream saying, "they're coming," before a voice off screen asked "Hey, Vale?" Marquez replied "yes" before muting the sound on the livestream and seconds later, she was fatally shot, Reuters reported. The motive of the attack was not immediately known. The region is a hotbed of criminal activity, home to one of Mexico's most violent drug trafficking groups, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The group has been accused of using fake job advertisements to lure new members and of torturing and killing recruits who resist So far, however, investigators have found no evidence that a criminal group was behind the shooting, state security coordinator Roberto Alarcon told reporters. Zapopan mayor Juan Jose Frangie said that his office has no record of Marquez requesting help from authorities because of threats against her. "It's incredible that you're making a video and then you're murdered. A femicide is the worst thing," Frangie said. According to media reports, Marquez was killed by a man pretending to bring her a gift. Just a few hours later, a former congressman with the Mexican PRI party, Luis Armando Córdova Díaz, was also shot dead in a cafe in the area, the Associated Press reported. The state prosecutor's office said he was killed in the Valle Real neighborhood of Zapopan. The United Nations says that around 10 women or girls are murdered every day in Mexico, where criminal and gender-related violence is rampant. Since 2001, at least 50,000 women have been murdered in Mexico, according to the U.N, but only 2% of cases end in a criminal sentence and only one in 10 victims reports their aggressor. Sneak peek: Fatal First Date Trump teases "good news" on Russia-Ukraine war Sneak peek: The Footprint
