Newly discovered parasite linked to coastal seabird deaths
Researchers have identified a previously unknown parasite in the Eimeria group linked to the deaths of black skimmer chicks along the Texas Gulf Coast. This discovery provides new insight into the ongoing population decline of these coastal birds.
Why it matters
Understanding the causes of wildlife mortality is essential for conservation efforts and maintaining biodiversity in fragile coastal ecosystems.
by Ye (Vivian) Chen, Texas A&M University
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Along the Gulf Coast, black skimmers have long been a familiar sight—gliding just above the water with their bright orange beaks slicing through the surface to feed.
But when more than 160 chicks died in Texas nesting colonies during the summers of 2022 and 2023, researchers uncovered something no one had documented before—a previously unknown parasite that may be part of a much larger conservation challenge.
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