Mystery deaths decimating kangaroo mobs in New South Wales, Australia

@JudyEv (339930)
Rockingham, Australia
December 1, 2016 5:22am CST
A recent news item in Australia states that far west New South Wales has been experiencing an epidemic which is wiping out hundreds of kangaroos. The dead roos were all in good condition before succumbing to a mystery disease. Similar events have happened in 1998 and 2010. Some kangaroos become disorientated running towards vehicles on the roads. Others find it difficult to move about. The affected roos have been mature animals, in good condition and with no wounds whatsoever. Starvation is not an issue. What is even more surprising is that dead animals are being avoided by normal predators and scavengers. Carcases are left untouched by wild pigs, crows, wedge-tail eagles or kites. Similar conditions of reasonable pasture and some standing water existed in 2010 when the last mass deaths occurred. As there have been no deaths since late October, it is hoped the epidemic is over for the time being.
26 people like this
22 responses
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
1 Dec 16
Ah, that's sad. Its apparent senselessness reminds me of whale beachings.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
It does a bit doesn't it? Something has obviously gone wrong with their thinking or whatever.
1 person likes this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
1 Dec 16
@JudyEv Hard to fathom what's going on. I know they're in no danger of extinction. Nevertheless, what a shame.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Dec 16
how sad :( there's so many thingies that jest seem to remain a mystery. i do hope that such 'tis o'er. most interestin' that the scavengers'd not've anythin' to do with 'em. that's a sure sign 'f somethin' really funky...
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Dec 16
@JudyEv me neither, hon. most distressin' that 't seems they aint been? perhaps a lack 'f fundin' to be used's some sorta 'xcuse? sadly, what effects one batch 'f critters might someday spread to others...that'd jest be awful :( could e'en effect ones food supply.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Dec 16
@crazyhorseladycx At the moment it seems confined to a small, isolated area which is I guess one reason why they are not paying too much attention to it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 16
I can't see how scientists can NOT try to find out what is causing it. I thought they'd be so curious about it all that they'd be right on to it.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
2 Dec 16
If it happened before , was it never discovered as to why ?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Dec 16
They didn't discover what caused it and they haven't followed through this time either.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
2 Dec 16
@JudyEv That is sad , they didn't follow up what really caused it so it could be prevented the next time they see it is happening again to the kangaroos .
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Dec 16
@SIMPLYD Until it impacts on the economy in some way they probably won't bother about doing much.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Dec 16
So sad to hear that! I never like to see mass deaths of any animals. I wonder if this is something natural that happens to kangaroos every so often, or is the result of something that man is causing? It's too bad that researchers couldn't find the cause after the 1998 and 2010 episodes. I wonder if it is some sort of virus or parasite?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Dec 16
@JudyEv Hmm...this mystery keeps getting bigger and bigger! Really weird that the younger kangaroos were not affected.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Dec 16
@JudyEv I was thinking the same thing you were...whether or not it had something to do with keeping the population in check. Isn't it amazing that other animals know when something is tainted or not? Us silly humans wouldn't know any better and we'd probably try to eat the meat or something. I wonder how animals can sense bad things like that but we can't?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Dec 16
@moffittjc Usually the population would be kept in check by lack of food and/or water. And interesting that the report said no young animals seemed affected.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
1 Dec 16
Oh my gosh how awful @JudyEv . Have they done any autopsies to indicate if it's some kind of poison?
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
2 Dec 16
@JudyEv Well dang, you'd think they'd want to know.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
The report was a bit critical of official agents who were seen as not doing much at all to find an explanation. I'm not sure if they have done autopsies.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Dec 16
@nanette64 It's well away from anyone and anything so I guess they have better things to do - in their opinion anyway.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
1 Dec 16
How strange, especially when the scavengers leave the bodies alone. I hope they can come to some sort of conclusion as to why this is happening.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 16
@fishtiger58 You'd think the natural curiosity of scientists would make them keen to solve the mystery.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
I think it has gone into the too hard basket. Now that the deaths have stopped, they're not worrying about finding an explanation.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Dec 16
@JudyEv I hope that doesn't become a mistake not finding the cause.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Dec 16
Yes scavengers are obviously detecting some problem which is making them avoid the carcasses.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
You'd think the experts could work out why scavengers won't touch the meat.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Dec 16
@JudyEv I agree, the animals can detect a problem without the aid of equipment, so the experts should have no problem.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
23 Dec 16
Maybe it's nature's way of doing a natural cull. The roo numbers are very high and they do a lot of damage to paddocks and vegetation.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Dec 16
That would seem to be the answer. There doesn't seem to be any other explanation.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
1 Dec 16
That is so odd, they haven't been able to identify what the issue is? Sounds like some sort of virus
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
2 Dec 16
@JudyEv I don't get why they don't care, it is a shame
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
No, they have no idea and now it's over, they're not bothering about it any more.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Dec 16
@BelleStarr I guess it's miles from anywhere and there are dozens more roos so they're focussing their attention on something more urgent I guess.
1 person likes this
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
3 Dec 16
Could it be that something atmospheric has blown in from somewhere?
1 person likes this
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
3 Dec 16
@JudyEv of course, that makes it stranger
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Dec 16
I guess it could be but it seems only the kangaroos are affected, not cattle for instance.
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54187)
• Louisville, Kentucky
1 Dec 16
That is very odd. Do they have any idea what is causing this?
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54187)
• Louisville, Kentucky
2 Dec 16
@JudyEv The poor things! I hope they do find out what it is so that they can either fix it or treat them so that no more will die.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Dec 16
@simone10 It's a bit sad isn't it? I don't think there has been any deaths for a while now.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
They don't seem to have any ideas at all.
1 person likes this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
31 Mar 17
I didn't know about the kangaroos dying of a mystery disease. How sad. I hope that situation is over by now. I see that you wrote this in December 2016. I missed it somehow.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317041)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
1 Dec 16
That's terrible. I hope the epidemic is over.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317041)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
2 Dec 16
@JudyEv That would be good.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
There haven't any mass deaths for a few weeks now so hopefully it is over.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
1 Dec 16
That is a real mystery. It gives the conspiracy theorists something to chew on.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
Yes, maybe an alien spaceship landed and the animals are all now radioactive. :)
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
1 Dec 16
@JudyEv OMG, the aliens are invading in the form of possessed roos!
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
1 Dec 16
animals seem to have an instinct about what could be "bad" for them. it sounds like it can't be predicted and can't be contained, either, so the hope is that it's over and doesn't transfer to other species.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
You're quite right. Hopefully it will just fade into memory.
1 person likes this
@Hate2Iron (15727)
• Canada
1 Dec 16
I certainly hope that they can come up with an explanation... that really is sad!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
It seems to have run its course now, thank goodness. But they still have no idea why it is happening.
@LadyDuck (471500)
• Switzerland
1 Dec 16
This is weird, what scares me more is the fact that the predators do not touch the carcases, surely there is a reason and the animals seem to know better than the vets.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
That is certainly a very strange phenomenon. It seems to have the authorities really baffled.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
1 Dec 16
It is interesting that the other scavengers do not touch the carcasses. I wonder if something is poisoning them?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
I'm not sure how much testing they've done although it did say it wasn't poisoning from any type of plant.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
1 Dec 16
Wow. Tragic. Kangaroos are so cool.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
Luckily it seems a short-term thing. And there are millions of them. I don't think the major species will die out any time soon.
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (19281)
• London, England
1 Dec 16
That's a bit worrying, but these 'die offs' seem to be a feature of our times.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec 16
The fact that it has happened at least twice before is interesting. I wonder if any of the elders of the aboriginal tribes in the area have anything to contribute.
1 person likes this