(NewsNation) — It’s usually easy for scientists to figure out what kills fish and other marine life around Florida and the Gulf Coast: development, pollution, human intrusion or a combination of all three.
But there is a new mystery that’s killing fish, especially one of the most endangered species.
Fish and wildlife officials have recorded hundreds of incidents of fish literally spinning themselves to death. And for now, they have no idea why.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has found no signs of a communicable disease. No red tide toxins. No issues with oxygen, salt levels, pH or water temperatures, either.
While scientists and others have logged nearly 200 spinning incidents involving more than 30 species, the biggest concern is for the smalltooth sawfish.
The huge fish that sport long bills resembling a huge chainsaw is one of the most endangered species. It was the first animal to be placed on the federal endangered list in 2003.
One thing researchers discovered: captured fish stopped spinning when they were put in “clean” water.
That’s led officials to come up with something never attempted before: rescuing as many sawfish as possible.
“People do these rescues for sea turtles, dolphins and manatees all the time. But it’s never been done for a 14-foot sawfish before,” Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Team leader Tonya Wiley told The Tampa Bay Times.
“We’re blazing a trail here. This is definitely the most devastating singular event for sawfish” she’s ever seen.
Scientists will hunt for fish in trouble in the Florida Keys, catch them and move them to a recovery facility. How they’ll do that, however, is a still a work in progress.
