The United States are dealing with a new ecological crisis. The new problem is particularly strange, as hundreds of sick and ravenous birds are now found miles away from their usual habitat, near the sea. Scientists seem to be of the opinion that the extremely low temperatures off the coasts of Oregon and Washington may be the root of the problem.

 

The theory regarding the low temperatures and the winds may be to blame in the case of the ill and apparently misguided birds. Most of the birds belong to the famous Californian brown pelican species, and lately they have been found all over the state of California, far from the seaside where they are usually to be found. Their odd habits may be caused by a storm that hit the coasts, after a peculiarly warm month of November. David A. Jessup, a senior veterinarian with the California Department of Fish and Game sustains this theory, according to which almost 4,000 of these birds were taken by surprise by such freezing temperatures and such string winds, after such a warm month.

 

Many of the brown pelicans were diagnosed with starvation, frostbite, pneumonia, bronchitis and even hepatitis. These injuries and diseases developed as the brown pelicans were forced by nature to travel well over 1,000 miles to warmer areas in California.