December 1, 2014
Ocean Roundup: Nearly 1,000 Sea Turtles Strand off Cape Cod, Suez Canal Expansion Poses Environmental Risks, and More
– Scientists are sounding the alarm on the Suez Canal expansion, saying it will invite invasive species from the Red Sea that could wreak economic and environmental damage in the Mediterranean Sea. Egypt is both widening the existing channel and adding an extra lane. The Guardian
– Since early November, nearly 1,000 cold-stunned sea turtles have stranded off Massachusetts after spending extended time in frigid water temperatures. The New England Aquarium has been rehabilitating most of them, while 200 turtles were sent to rehabilitation centers in North Carolina and Florida last week for recovery. The Boston Globe
– Last week, Vietnamese officials seized a record number of 1,000 dead sea turtles headed for illegal export to China. Officials conducted raids last week in the resort town of Nha Trang to save the turtles. The Guardian
– Last month, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the Chinese puffer fish to its Red List of Threatened Species as “critically endangered.” This fish is so toxic that it can kill humans, but it’s a delicacy in a Japanese dish called fugu. CNBC
– A new study shows that shifting Arctic conditions and sea ice cover could become “critical” for polar bears before the end of the 21st century. Under current climate conditions, scientists predict that a tenth of their habitat could undergo significant loss.