Recent mass avian and fish die-offs have raised suspicions that it's all part of the apocolyptic cloud many think we are under in these supposed last days. I've been asked if it's possible terrorists have infected these birds and fish with diseases and are watching to see how far and wide they can spread the illness. My answer, though far from an expert in zoonotic diseases at this point, would be that if this were the case terrorists would have used birds with larger and further migratory patterns - such as geese and ducks. Blackbirds, starlings, jackdaws, and turtle doves tend to flock together in the winter weather, don't travel all that far (we've all had them hanging around our feeders in the snow), will leave a roost in droves when frightened, and really aren't the heartiest of creatures. Most of the birds were showing signs of trauma instead of disease. As to the fish: Fish die-offs are common also and during the winter they are in the deepest parts of the rivers, lakes, and ponds where they are in close contact and disease could spread quickly. I'll continue to watch reports and blog about scientific findings but until there is evidence I'm pretty certain this isn't a bioterrorism scare OR an "aflockalypse".
Here's what the Wall Street Journal has to say.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704055204576068252659717470.html
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