Nations that changed from the Axis powers to the Allies
It is speculated that they starved to death as warmer water surface temperatures affected the number of prey available for the birds to feed on.
And a similar mass die-off happened in 2015 at Westerland beach on the island of Sylt, Germany.
Sources: (CBS News)
See also: The animals that have gone extinct in the 21st century
In August 2022, thousands of fish were found dead on the banks of the river Oder in Schwedt, Germany. The reason remains unknown.
In March 2023, dead and dying starfish also washed up on the beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire, England. Again, strong storms are suspected to be the cause.
Common murres are found abundantly in Alaska. In January 2016, around 8,000 of these seabirds were spotted dead on a beach in Whittier.
In June 2015, 337 sei whales washed up in Patagonia's coast in Chile. The reason why remains unknown. The event remains one of the biggest whale strandings in history.
In April 2014, thousands of starfish washed ashore in Alabama and Florida. Many were found dead or dying. The reason remains unknown, but it's suspected that a storm pushed them onto the beach.
It's not known what caused the animals to fall ill, but it might have been a change in their eating habits, triggered by unseasonable weather patterns.
In January 2009, hundreds of brown pelicans were found dead, and others ill, in California.
During a short period between late 2005 and early 2006, about 200 sea turtles were found dead along several El Salvador beaches.
It's believed the fish suffocated after being trapped and using all the oxygen in the water. How they ended up in the marina is still up for debate, but it's possible that they were trying to escape a red tide, or take shelter from predators.
It's believed that the animals fell victim to a harmful algal bloom.
In May 2013, the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus killed six million piglets in less than a year across the US.
This is, however, not the first time such a mass die-off happened. In 1988, around 400,000 saigas died in similar circumstances.
In 2004, 194 hippos and 14 buffalo died in Uganda. After months of tests, it was determined that they have perished after drinking water contaminated with anthrax.
In 2011, 100,000 drum fish turned up dead in the Arkansas River. Officials were unable to determine what caused the deaths, and ruled out water contamination, as other species were unaffected.
In May 2015, 60,000 saiga antelope were found dead across Kazakhstan. What killed such a high number of this endangered species remains unknown.
On December 31, 2010, around 2,000 red-winged blackbirds fell dead out of the sky in Arkansas.
Then, on January 2, 2011, a mix of about 500 red-winged blackbirds and starlings also fell dead over Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. These, however, had signs of injuries, and it is suspected that they were hit by fireworks.
This happened at 11 pm, and, strangely enough, these birds don't normally fly at night. It's believed that it was a weather-related event that caused the mass die-off.
The reason? Colony collapse disorder, which occurs when working bees disappear from a colony. This can be caused by a number of diseases.
Both the summer and the winter of 2010 were particularly harsh in Mongolia. It is estimated that the lives of 1.7 million livestock were lost as a result.
In 2003, 110 pilot whales and 10 bottlenose dolphins died stranded on Tasmania's shore. Then, in 2008, 150 long-finned pilot whales also washed up ashore. But there's more: in 2009, nearly 200 whales and numerous dolphins beached in Tasmania again
In 2006, billions of American honey bees started disappearing.
In 2004, 115 pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins died on the beaches of King Island and Maria Island in Australia.
Bats with white-nose syndrome are unable to fly and feed on insects, so they die. It's estimated that over six million bats have died from it in North America since 2007.
Autopsies revealed the animals had empty stomachs, which indicated death by starvation. The reason for the mass starvation, however, remains unknown.
In July 2010, over the course of just 10 days, about 500 dead Magellan Penguins washed up dead on the shores of São Paulo state in Brazil.
A fungus called pseudogymnoascus destructans is known to cause white-nose syndrome in bats. The condition affects the skin of the muzzle, wings, and ears of bats.
In March 2011, millions of dead sardines and anchovies washed up in King Harbor Marina in Redondo Beach, California.
Mass mortality events are ever more common, putting more animals at the risk of extinction. The reasons for these mass die-offs vary, with things such as natural (e.g. disease and climate-related) and human-related (e.g. pollution) factors being common causes. Even so, many of these mass animal deaths remain a mystery to this day.
Click through the following gallery and get to know some of the most tragic—and indeed mysterious—mass animal deaths of recent times.
Puzzling mass animal deaths
Tragic occasions when animals mysteriously died on mass
LIFESTYLE Animal kingdom
Mass mortality events are ever more common, putting more animals at the risk of extinction. The reasons for these mass die-offs vary, with things such as natural (e.g. disease and climate-related) and human-related (e.g. pollution) factors being common causes. Even so, many of these mass animal deaths remain a mystery to this day.
Click through the following gallery and get to know some of the most tragic—and indeed mysterious—mass animal deaths of recent times.