Mystery of Mass Squid "Suicides" Possibly Solved
By: Tia Ghose and LiveScience
By: Tia Ghose and LiveScience
http://ogoapes.weebly.com/uploads/3/2/3/9/3239894/mystery_of_mass_squid_suicides_possibly_solved_scientific_american.pdf
Summary: Many squids have "essentially" flung themselves onto shore, committing suicide. There were no known facts to why this could be happening, until there seemed to be a link with "red tides". Algae blooms seem to be a factor in respond to the squids who have been found on shore on central California shores; there seems to be that the algae's have been releasing an extremely potent brain toxin which could have led the disorientated squids towards shore.
Many have suggested that it could be that there are new schools of squid who are simply out on new territory and therefore become lost and don't realize they're no longer in the water. When scientist tested the squids, they only found the chemical of the lethal toxin called domic acid. This however, only mimics a brain chemical called gulatmate in mammals; domic acid is 10,000 more times potent than gulatmate. Scientists are still searching for possible causes for the deaths of the squids. |
Reflection: It seems incredible that all these squids could have a reason to swim to shore. Animals always seem to have these instincts in regards to what they should or shouldn't do, its like when we listen to our gut. I don't believe the squid would do this, other than the fact that something big must be triggering these actions. It could be the algae blooms releasing the toxins, or it could be something else. Scientist should keep looking into this situation in order to understand the reasons behind the squids ending up on shore, because it may eventually lead to something greater. Knowing the reason to certain abnormal behaviors is always great, because then you know what is possible and how to bring things back to normal, or even adapt to the changes.
|