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In the United States, hundreds of seabirds have washed up on the coasts of the Pacific Northwest with a foamy coating of “sea slime” on their feathers.
The sea slime, found naturally in oceans, begins as “marine snow,” –- a cluster of dead and living organic marine matter composed mostly of algae and small crustaceans. Little by little, these floating organic masses engulf other organisms. Heavier clusters of this slime sink to the sea floor and smother bottom life.
Scientists think that warming sea temperatures may be contributing to the larger, longer lasting, and more frequent algae blooms that are creating these slimey masses.
Like oil, the slime impairs the natural waterproofing and insulating capabilities of sea bird feathers. This leaves these birds weakened and cold -- susceptible to predators hypothermia. Recently, almost 500 of these birds were treated in a California rescue center, and several hundred more were transported to facilities in Oregon and Washington. Many of the birds were then released back into the wild.
Sources: National Geographic
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