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Thousands of dead marine animals on the beaches – this is what it looked like on the Russian peninsula of Kamchatka last week. But people were also affected; Several surfers and water sports enthusiasts reported eye pain, vomiting, or even vision problems after being in the water.
Greenpeace sounded the alarm, suspecting an unnatural cause. The media reported possible triggers, such as Soviet-era toxic chemicals, which are stored near the island. Others spoke about toxic rocket fuel from a nearby military installation.
Toxin with devastating effects
Now the deputy director of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrei Adriyanov explained how mass extinctions actually occurred. According to scientific studies, the microalgae Gymnodinium is responsible for the death of numerous marine species. This algae produces a toxin that has devastating effects on invertebrates. Apparently this can also lead to health problems in humans.
As Adriyanov now assures, causes such as chemicals or fuel can be ruled out. The phenomenon of such a concentration of algae is not uncommon in Kamchatka. But: “Nature will regenerate itself quickly and by itself. All you have to do is wait, the phenomenon will disappear by itself ”, says the scientist.
Dead animals are still washed
The environmental organization Greenpeace said at a press conference on Sunday that the situation was not improving. Dead animals would still wash up in the bay. Greenpeace collected starfish and sea urchins to study. They assume that toxins can be broken down more easily in your tissues than in seawater.
About 175,000 people called Monday in a request for an “open investigation.” (SDA / eb)
