Scientists discover why dozens of endangered elephants died | Hacker News Reader

Scientists discover why dozens of endangered elephants died

theguardian.com

126 pointsadrian_mrd65 comments

The elephants died of sepsis related to Pasteurella bacteria, the same bacteria which killed 200,000 antelopes in Kazakhstan.

The bacteria is normally commensurate in the pharynx/tonsils however a virulence factor or increased infectiousness was gained somehow (possibly ambient temperature related).

Might not be, it could be bacterial evolution. While temperatures shouldn't be ruled out bacteria and viruses evolve much more rapidly compared to multi-cellular organisms. In fact DNA of multi-cellular organisms are often altered by them. Not by much, but enough we can track if our ancestors experienced the bubonic plague in DNA.

I think it is possible to assume they acclimated and became stronger maybe due to the introduction of fertilizers.

United States is experiencing problems with algae blooms and this is typically downstream of water contaminated with fertilizer. Higher than what typically would be organically washed down stream.

My understanding of bacterial disease is that generally the disease itself is caused by bacteria emitting various toxins, either as waste materials or as part of their defense system.

Does it make sense that a commensal bacterium would evolve into something dangerous?

Depends on the environment. We all evolve due to our surrounding environment. Being stronger doesn't necessarily mean defensive, it might mean longer life cycles. More waste as you said.

It could, evolution is a drunkard's walk.

It would be unlikely to outcompete its commensal siblings that don't damage the host.

Many times in history we have seen bad evolution do something and kill itself out.

Possible heavily fertilized plants contributed into strengthening the bacteria too. They eat plants.

Some gut microbiomes can become a lot stronger just from what we eat and be the leading cause of a particular dementia. Weird I know.

I would discard ambient temperature, both species support a lot of heat. neither lack of food fits because all cohorts died simultaneously.

Toxins, poison or hidden radioactivity dust most probably [1]

if I remember correctly Saiga mortality in Kazahstan happened a few months after wildfires in Chernobyl. Is also an area contaminated with fuel rockets. There are two species of Saiga currently so this makes the problem much worse.

Is a fact that elephants have an enemy in farmers, and that lions and other African wild fauna had been systematically poisoned in recent years to be replaced by cattle.

[1] triggering low immunity, that leads to opportunist bacterial infections, that leads to (or just facilitate), mass death at all levels.

I find it so sad that 84% of the remaining African savannah elephants live in protected areas and yet their population is declining 8% per year, showing that our conversation efforts are not enough and less effective every year.

This is the most massive and iconic land animal on Earth with plenty of public support and funding, this should be one of the easiest ones to keep track of and protect.

What does this say about our ability to prevent mass extinction of other species?

And Africa is huge! It's not like they are crammed in on a small continent. The entire USA including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico etc. is about 25% the size of the African continent.

Previous related thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23707920

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