Hundreds of baby penguins found dead on Brazil's beach

BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Hundreds of baby penguins, which were washed up to Rio de Janeiro's tropical beaches, were found dead, rescuers and penguin experts said on Friday.

More than 400 penguins have been found dead on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro state over the past two months, according to Eduardo Pimenta, superintendent for the state coastal protection and environment agency in the resort city of Cabo Frio.

Although it is common to find penguins here -- both dead and alive -- swept by strong ocean currents, this year there have been more.

Overfishing is one possible cause for this, some experts thought. Because penguins have to swim further to find fish and become vulnerable when meet strong ocean currents.

Petroleum on the sea is another threat for penguins.

Niteroi, the Brazil's biggest zoo, has already received about 100 penguins for treatment this year and many are drenched in petroleum, according to Thiago Muniz, a veterinarian at the Zoo.

On Argentina's mid-Atlantic coast, environmentalists also found some 20 penguins covered in crude oil recently.

Some scientists believe weather patterns could be involved.

"I don't think the levels of pollution are high enough to affect the birds so quickly. I think instead we're seeing more young and sick penguins because of global warming, which affects ocean currents and creates more cyclones, making the seas rougher," said biologist Erli Costa of Rio de Janeiro's Federal University.

(Agencies)