Marine heat wave causes largest die-off of common murres, killing around 4 million in Alaska.

A marine heat wave known as "the Blob" caused the deaths of around 4 million common murres in Alaska between 2014 and 2016, marking the largest die-off of a single species in modern history. The heat wave, which raised ocean temperatures by 2.5 to 3 degrees Celsius, led to a significant decline in the murres' food supply, especially Pacific cod, causing their population to decrease by 52% to 78% across 13 colonies. Researchers note that the population has not recovered due to broader ecosystem changes.

3 months ago
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