Ecological disasters many times precipitate other natural or man-made disasters, and they can be signs of coming political instability. This is very important at a time when the coronavirus from China is devastating human populations and locust plagues as well as droughts are causing severe environmental problems in eastern and southern Africa respectively. According to a recent report, thousands of birds have died on the Iranian shores of the Caspian Sea and without any explanation as to how this happened.
At least 6 thousand migratory birds have been found dead in the Miankaleh peninsula, in the province of Māzandarān, northern Iran. Official Irna news agency reports the carcasses were found along the banks of the Caspian Sea that border the villages of Galoogah and Qalehpayan, in the south-eastern town of Behshahr.
Local witnesses report that, on the fourth day of monitoring, the number of dead birds reached 5900. Three of the most affected species: the flamingo, the Northern shoveler and the coot. In a period of international alert for the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, which started from an animal market in Wuhan, China, even the news of a (mysterious) death of birds can cause alarm.
At the moment, the causes of the death are not yet known and the veterinary organizations have not made an official pronouncement. However, the latest tests would have ruled out (bird flu) or Newcastle disease as there were no symptoms such as bruising, bleeding and enlarged spleen.
Hossein-Ali Ebrahimi, head of the environmental department of Mazandaran province, confirms the ban on hunting any species of migratory bird in the eastern province, until further notice, to guarantee the health of the population. At the same time, the sale of birds is also prohibited, until further investigations into the causes of death are made. (source)