Dead Birds From the Skies, Dead Fish from the Seas

A new year, a new set of dead birds and dead fish causing many to wonder if something mysterious in the environment is the culprit for the eco-devastation.

Beebe, Arkansas rang in the new year with about 100 dead blackbirds falling from the sky. According to the Associated Press, blackbirds began “flying into objects and each other,” reminiscent of the year before, where thousands of birds died after crashing into objects.

Over in Europe, another dead animal mystery unfolded. AP reported that on Kvaenes beach in Norway, an estimated 20 tons of dead herring washed ashore on New Year’s Eve. And then, the tens of thousands of dead fish vanished.

These seemingly unusual animal deaths spark memories of the mass casualties in early 2011. Beyond last year’s dead birds that fell from the sky in Arkansas (and other regions), millions of dead fish surfaced in Maryland, over 10,000 cows and buffalo died in Vietnam, and tens of thousands of dead crabs washed ashore in the U.K.

Although multiple theories emerged on the string of deadly events, many members of authority maintained that the deaths were probably unrelated.

Despite conspiracy theories over what could have caused birds and fish to die this year, probable explanations have already been provided for both of these cases.

Fireworks are to blame for the odd behavior of birds of Beebe, Arkansas, report local authorities. According to AP, Beebe police Lt. Brian Duke said officials asked residents to stop setting off fireworks once the birds began acting strangely, and there was even evidence that a blackbird roost was targeted this year with fireworks.

As for the vanishing herring, it’s suspected that the fish were forced ashore by predators or a large storm. Jens Christian Holst of Norway’s Institute of Marine Research told AP that the fish probably simply washed back into the sea.

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