Something strange is going on in Florida (well, stranger than usual). Critically endangered smalltooth sawfish have been spotted erratically spinning and whirling around in the Lower Florida Keys, while dozens more have died under mysterious circumstances.
The situation has become so severe that the NOAA Fisheries has initiated a first-of-its-kind emergency response effort to prevent additional deaths. Together with several conversation organizations and aquariums, they plan on rescuing and rehabilitating the affected animals in specialized quarantine facilities.
“If the opportunity presents itself, this would be the first attempt ever to rescue and rehabilitate smalltooth sawfish from the wild,” Adam Brame, NOAA Fisheries’ sawfish recovery coordinator, said in a statement.
“Our goal is to release all rescued sawfish back to the wild once rehabilitated,” added Brame.
As of March 24, 109 sawfish had been impacted by this event and there’s been 28 documented deaths. It appears that most of the affected individuals are large individuals measuring 2.1 to 4.3 meters (7 to 14 feet) in length.
“We suspect that total mortalities are greater, since sawfish are negatively buoyant and thus unlikely to float after death. Given the limited population size of smalltooth sawfish, the mortality of at least two dozen sawfish could have an impact on the recovery of this species,” said Brame.
With their long, flat snout that is lined with sharp transverse teeth, sawfish look like a half-shark and half-chainsaw. Their unusual saw snouts are used to hunt; along with helping them dig around sedimented seabeds, it also emits an electrical field that helps them find prey.
Taxonomically, they belong to the subclass Elasmobranchii alongside sharks, rays, and skates. There are at least five species of sawfish, all of which are critically endangered with extinction. The species having a hard time in the Lower Florida Keys at the moment is the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata).
Currently, everyone is stumped on what’s causing the problem. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been carrying out sawfish necropsies, but has not found any evidence of infections, nor problems with low water oxygen levels, pollution, or toxic red tide, according to the Associated Press. Water testing is ongoing and they’re even attempting to collect samples from live distressed sawfish.
While all options are still on the table, climate change may be a potential factor. Last year, South Florida’s seawater temperature reached a devastating 38.3°C (101°F), around the same as a hot bath. With temperatures as scorching as this, it’s hard to imagine it’s not having a big impact on the region’s biodiversity.
Source Link: NOAA Announces "Emergency Response" In Florida For Erratic Spinning Behavior Of Dying Sawfish