Seabird biologist David Irons was touched by the horrifying sight of live murres standing beside the dead ones.
Past winters have also seen murre die-offs but not in the scale being observed in Alaska presently. Instead of estimating the number of dead murres, federal researchers are trying to find out the reason for their death.
It has been said that the die-offs could be due to changes in the ecosystem that have led to decrease in the number of forage fish, the main food for murres. One of the strongest El Ninos on record has led to unusually warm waters in Eastern and Central Pacific. Moreover, global warming has also affected murre prey, including herring, capelin and juvenile pollock.
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In about 230 colonies of Alaska, there are 2.8 million breeding common murres. They are kind of awkward on land but their short and powerful wings make them extraordinary swimmers. They can fly as far as 600 feet deep into waters to hunt for fish.
According to John Piatt, research wildlife biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Alaska Science Center, about 8,000 black and white birds were found dead on the Whittier beach.
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