Discovery of over 140 dead cormorants raises concerns in Mynälahden, Finland

Last week, Timo Saarinen from Turku discovered over 140 dead cormorants in Mynälahden on the Archipelago Sea, with the cause of death remaining a mystery. As the director of the Airisto–Velkuan fishing area, Saarinen was inspecting the number of cormorant nests, as estimated by the Finnish Environment Institute. However, his count at Tornikari in Mynälahden turned into a grim tally when he encountered numerous dead birds. In total, he found 73 dead cormorants at this site, with another 70 discovered nearby on Loukkeenkari.

Saarinen reported seeing carcasses at various stages of decomposition. “The smell was unbearable. At the same time, we were concerned as we were there without respiratory protection and had walked quite a bit. I contacted the supervising veterinarian,” he said.

Erkki Koskinen, a substitute supervising veterinarian in Uusikaupunki, received reports of the dead birds earlier in the week. Although mass wildlife deaths are not typically within his purview, he promised to send samples to the Finnish Food Authority in Helsinki the next day. “I haven’t experienced anything like this in my career,” Koskinen noted.

The investigation aims to determine whether the deaths were caused by avian influenza, which decimated not just birds but also hundreds of thousands of fur animals last year when the virus spread to fur farms. This year, the virus has only been detected in one goshawk in Helsinki, according to the Food Authority. Koskinen confirmed that no avian influenza was found in the Mynälahden birds, and he refrained from speculating on the cause of the deaths, stating that those present know the condition of the birds better.

Samples sent to the Food Authority will be analyzed by Marja Isomursu, an expert in animal health. She stated that the cormorants found were too decomposed to ascertain a definitive cause of death. “Only bones and feathers remained,” Isomursu explained, highlighting the challenge of investigating such cases thoroughly, especially during summer when carcasses decay quickly.