Post by Mech on Apr 29, 2005 23:00:21 GMT -5
Toads Exploding In Denmark, Germany
Copenhagen Post | April 28 2005
Thousands of toads are exploding in central Denmark and northern Germany. Environmental factors or an unknown disease may cause the phenomenon
Biblical plague, extraterrestrial bacteria, or climate changes? Thousands of toads are exploding across northern Germany and central Denmark, baffled animal experts report.
Hundreds of toads have begun to explode near a lake in the town of Låsby in Mid-Jutland. According to reports, the toads climb on to land, swell to up to three times their normal size, and burst, casting their innards up to one metre in the air. A similar phenomenon has also been reported in the German city of Hamburg, where authorities report that over 1000 toads are dead.
Experts are at a loss to explain what is causing the toads' painful deaths, which primarily take place between two and three a.m.
'It's like a science fiction film,' said Werner Smolnik, a representative for a Hamburg animal welfare organisation. 'You can see the animals crawling around on the ground, then they swell up, and finally they burst.'
Frank Jensen, curator of Denmark's Museum of Natural History, said to Denmark's TV2 that the mysterious deaths likely had an earthly explanation, namely toxins found in fertilisers or changes in the ozone layer.
The Danish Meteorological Institute warned yesterday of increased ozone radiation reaching Denmark. Amphibians such as toads and frogs are known to be sensitive to slight environmental changes.
While German authorities surmise that the gruesome deaths are caused by bacterial or viral infection, they were still confounded by the incident.
'I have never seen anything like this,' said veterinarian Otto Holst.
Copenhagen Post | April 28 2005
Thousands of toads are exploding in central Denmark and northern Germany. Environmental factors or an unknown disease may cause the phenomenon
Biblical plague, extraterrestrial bacteria, or climate changes? Thousands of toads are exploding across northern Germany and central Denmark, baffled animal experts report.
Hundreds of toads have begun to explode near a lake in the town of Låsby in Mid-Jutland. According to reports, the toads climb on to land, swell to up to three times their normal size, and burst, casting their innards up to one metre in the air. A similar phenomenon has also been reported in the German city of Hamburg, where authorities report that over 1000 toads are dead.
Experts are at a loss to explain what is causing the toads' painful deaths, which primarily take place between two and three a.m.
'It's like a science fiction film,' said Werner Smolnik, a representative for a Hamburg animal welfare organisation. 'You can see the animals crawling around on the ground, then they swell up, and finally they burst.'
Frank Jensen, curator of Denmark's Museum of Natural History, said to Denmark's TV2 that the mysterious deaths likely had an earthly explanation, namely toxins found in fertilisers or changes in the ozone layer.
The Danish Meteorological Institute warned yesterday of increased ozone radiation reaching Denmark. Amphibians such as toads and frogs are known to be sensitive to slight environmental changes.
While German authorities surmise that the gruesome deaths are caused by bacterial or viral infection, they were still confounded by the incident.
'I have never seen anything like this,' said veterinarian Otto Holst.