Hey there, nature explorers! Have you ever heard of the common murre? They’re amazing black-and-white seabirds that look a bit like penguins and live in northern oceans. But something really sad happened to them in Alaska.
Between 2014 and 2016, the Pacific Ocean near Alaska got super warm because of a heatwave. Imagine the sea catching a fever! 🌡️ This heatwave was so strong that it caused a massive die-off of the common murres. Scientists discovered that around four million murres died during this time. That’s about half of all the murres in the area! 😢
But why did this happen? Well, when the ocean heats up, it changes the whole food chain. Tiny plants in the ocean called phytoplankton didn’t grow as well in the warmer water. These plants are the food for small fish like herring, sardines, and anchovies, which are the murres’ favorite snacks. With fewer fish to eat, the murres couldn’t find enough food.
Plus, bigger fish like salmon and cod needed more energy because of the warmer water. They started eating more of the small fish, leaving even less for the murres. It was like a big food fight in the ocean, and the murres lost. 🍽️🐟
Even years after the heatwave ended, the murre population hasn’t bounced back. Scientists are worried because this might mean the ocean’s ecosystem has changed in a big way. It’s a loud alarm bell 🔔 reminding us how important it is to take care of our planet and fight climate change.
So next time you hear about climate change or see ways to help the environment, remember the common murres and how even little changes can make a big difference to wildlife. Let’s all do our part to keep our Earth healthy! 🌎💚
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
