animal deaths in Arkansas

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Ark. Blackbird Die-Off Was Deliberate

Officials say fireworks set off in roost in Beebe, Arkansas

(Newser) - The hundreds of dead blackbirds that rained down on a rural Arkansas town for the second New Year's Eve in a row weren't so much omens of the apocalypse as victims of crime, reports Fox News . The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is blaming human interference for the...

Ark. Town Again Hit by Dead Blackbirds

Cops ban fireworks after repeat of last New Year's Eve carnage begins

(Newser) - Thousands of dead blackbirds rained down on a town in central Arkansas last New Year's Eve after revelers set off fireworks that spooked them from their roost, and officials were reporting a similar occurrence yesterday as 2012 approached. Police in Beebe said dozens of blackbirds had fallen dead, prompting...

Arkansas: Here's What Officially Killed Those Birds

Findings on mass deaths released

(Newser) - Wildlife officials in Arkansas say that they still have no idea why more than 100,000 fish washed up dead along a stretch of river last year, but they have a theory on why thousands of blackbirds fell from the sky . The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission—echoing earlier findings...

More Animal Die-Offs: 200 Cows Dead in Wisconsin

Farmer thinks a virus is probably involved

(Newser) - First it was birds, then fish, then more fish. Now, it's 200 cows lying dead in a Wisconsin field, reports the Rapid-Tribune. But this mass die-off might be a little less murky: The farmer reportedly told local officials he suspected the animals died of one of two viruses common to...

9 More Creepy, Mysterious Animal Deaths

Giant squids, a beloved swan, and ... suicidal cows?

(Newser) - Massive animal die-offs are totally normal —but that doesn't mean they're all free of mystery. On the heels of the Arkansas bird deaths that started it all, the Daily Beast reminds us of 9 other recent (sometimes suspicious, sometimes creepy) animal deaths:
  • John Boy Walton, the much-loved
...

Experts: Bird, Fish Die-Offs No Mystery

Similar wildlife die-offs happen all the time, 'under the radar'

(Newser) - Recent mass deaths of birds and fish around the world have been getting plenty of press, but these die-offs are nothing out of the ordinary, let alone a sign of the apocalypse, experts tell AP . Federal records show that mass wildlife die-offs happen about every other day, and experts believe...

Here's What Officially Killed Those Birds in Arkansas

'Impact trauma', fireworks, blamed for deaths

(Newser) - If you’ve been searching for a simple explanation for what caused the deaths of thousands of birds in Arkansas, veterinary pathologists have one: they all ran into something. “It was impact trauma,” the chief of disease investigations at the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison tells the...

Birds Drop Dead in Sweden, Kentucky

40K crabs wash ashore in UK as mass die-offs stump experts

(Newser) - Birds are continuing to drop from the sky in a mounting, now global, mystery. Up to 100 jackdaws fell dead in a small town in Sweden. Investigators have roped off the area in an effort to determine what killed the birds, who showed signs of serious trauma, officials said. "...

Now There Are Dead Birds in Louisiana, Too

Five hundred found on highway

(Newser) - Okay, this is just getting creepy: An estimated 500 red-winged blackbirds were found lying dead or dying along a quarter-mile stretch of Louisiana highway yesterday, the Advocate reports. A number of the bodies have been shipped to labs in Georgia and Wisconsin for testing, but the rest were left lying...

In the Case of Thousands of Dead Birds, a Culprit?

Birds likely crashed after flying low to avoid fireworks, say investigators

(Newser) - Investigators probing the mysterious death of thousands of birds in a small Arkansas town believe New Year's Eve fireworks were likely the cause. Residents of Beebe say loud explosions were heard shortly before more than 3,000 blackbirds began falling from the sky, the BBC reports. The few that survived...

Now 100K Dead Fish Wash Up in Arkansas

Fish follow 5K blackbirds to their death

(Newser) - More bizarre happenings in Arkansas: The state, reeling from the chilling sight of thousands of dead birds dropping from the sky over the weekend, is now grappling with 100,000 fish that have washed up on a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River. Officials suspect disease killed the drum fish,...

Thousands of Dead Birds Fall From Sky in Arkansas

Stumped officials speculate that weather, stress could be cause

(Newser) - The town of Beebe, Ark., is home to about 4,500 people—and about the same number of dead birds. State wildlife officials went door-to-door today to collect the creatures from rooftops, trees, and yards. Officials estimate that between 4,000 and 5,000 birds—mostly blackbirds—began tumbling from...

12 Stories