The Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 27

In the last month, hundreds of small turtles have washed up dead along the eastern shore of Long Island. Scientists have begun to blame these deaths on waterborne toxins that have achieved unprecedented levels.

Thanks to necropsies performed on over 200 diamondback terrapins found dead on the island’s North Fork Point, scientists think saxitoxin, a biotoxin produced in algae blooms, is to blame. The levels of saxitoxin found in the water was over ten times normal amounts. The turtles absorb the poison by eating the shellfish that have collected the toxin. Paralysis and death occurs soon after.

Karen Testa, executive director of Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons, claimed, “We’re seeing bodies washing up in perfect condition. This has never happened before. It’s an alarming thing.”

She continued by claiming that all indicators point to saxitoxin. “There’s no other explanation for what’s causing the die-off of these poor animals.”

Christopher Gobler, a professor at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, has been studying the algae blooms that occur off of Long Island for over 20 years. While saxitoxin is normally detected in the region’s waters, he claims that levels have never been this high, and have never caused such a wildlife die-off.

State officials have labeled saxitoxin a “dangerous neurotoxin” that may damage or impair nerve tissue. Shellfish act as natural filters and absorb the toxins from the water. Other animals then experience paralysis when they feed on the shellfish.

These effects are not limited to sea animals. When humans ingest infected shellfish, they typically experience numbness and tightness in their faces, as well as a loss of coordination. Most humans recover in a matter of days, but in some rare cases, the poisoning has resulted in death.

Both county and state officials have advised people not to consume shellfish from the area, and have also advised against swimming in discolored water.

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizen’s Campaign for the Environment, said, “This is a serious threat to public health. When you have a saxitoxin that can kill humans, you need to address the cause.”

While the exact cause to the high levels of saxitoxin currently present in Long Island waterways remains unknown, Gobler and Esposito both think that nitrogen in the water may be to blame. Leaking septic tanks and sewage can make its way into bays and increase nitrogen levels in the water. However, there is no indication of why levels of septic sewage entering bays should be any higher than normal.

Just Meyers, Suffolk County Assistant Deputy County Executive, claimed that the county has devised a plan to reduce nitrogen pollution. He hopes to acquire $400 million in state and federal grants to improve water infrastructure, as well as converting 360,000 homes from cesspools to municipal sewers.

The first step the making the waters safe for food sources for small turtles and humans is to discover why amounts of saxitoxin reached such high levels this year. If the cause remains uncertain, then other bodies of water become in danger of suffering from a similar fate.