Mass animal deaths scrutinized as Google map cites numerous incidents
The deaths of 5,000 blackbirds in Arkansas is one of several recent instances of mass animal deaths across the world.
January 7th, 2011
01:06 PM ET

Mass animal deaths scrutinized as Google map cites numerous incidents

Five thousand blackbirds in Arkansas. One hundred pelicans near Jacksonville, North Carolina. Three hundred doves in Italy. Seventy bats in Tucson, Arizona. Thousands of fish in Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brazil and the United States.

Google is now hosting a map of incidents of mass animal deaths around the world. Google Maps' distinctive blue balloons indicate where the deaths took place. Click on a balloon, and the map provides you with a link to a news report on the incident.

As of Friday afternoon, there were about 30 cases pinpointed on the search engine's mapping site, most of them in the U.S. and Europe.

Some might say it's getting spooky - and not just by conspiracy theorist standards - but experts tell CNN Radio that theories of UFOs and secret government weapons are, naturally, far-fetched.

In the case of the Arkansas blackbirds, wildlife buffs have said that a loud noise or other event may have precipitated the blunt-force trauma that killed the birds. Of all the notions about their deaths, Susie Kesielke, curator of birds at the Los Angeles Zoo, believes the theory that fireworks startled the birds is the most plausible.

“Blackbirds roost communally in the wintertime, and they sleep more soundly than most animals,” Kesielke said, adding that the birds were shocked awake and extremely disoriented.

Jonathan Sleeman, director of the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, said his office has investigated 16 mass bird deaths in the past 20 years.

“This is a bit unusual but not unique,” he explained. “Most of the cases involved pesticides or poison ingested by the birds, but trauma has also been found to be the cause of mass bird deaths."

Good to know experts aren't buying that Armageddon is upon us. Offering even more comfort is the blog Universe Today, which suggests that the deaths aren't so much strange as they are "a symptom of the digital age where news travels faster than you can say, 'The End is Nigh.' "

It cites a Time magazine article that details several strange mass animal deaths and wonders "if the internet age allows us to connect the dots where there are none to be connected."

As for connecting dots, the blog suggests that the map on Google could be laid on top of a "current global oil exploration map to test the hypothesis that the deaths could have been caused by ground-penetrating tomography."

In any case, it seems level heads are prevailing for now - at least until scads of humans succumb to spontaneous combustion.

“Until the sky turns red and there’s a plague of locusts, this event is not that unusual,” Sleeman said of the blackbirds.

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Filed under: Animals • Arkansas • Google • Science • Technology
soundoff (748 Responses)
  1. Sandra LeVin

    Has anyone else heard the birds' internal organs (i.e. livers) were liquified??

    January 7, 2011 at 5:10 pm | Report abuse |
    • Sandra

      I heard about that but I think it's just a rumor.
      The polar shift that has happened recently however is NOT.

      January 7, 2011 at 5:12 pm | Report abuse |
  2. looknorth

    One day when you are all standing there and the weather is so dramatic and your are homeless and your country has been destroyed economically, remember HAARP, it s such a top secretly funded program that you government does not debate the funding its allready approved no questions asked. You know the amount of coincidences that occur in the USA is beyond comprehension I always say if Jesus showed up on earth tomorrow no one would believe him any ways. Believe that your government is trying to intimidate and suppress your society

    January 7, 2011 at 5:11 pm | Report abuse |
    • T-MAN

      @looknorth, once again.. We all already know about this. You are very repeating your self. In case you didn't notice there is even a website about HAARP. If it were "TOP SECRET" you wouldn't know about. So obviously you are just using this comment section to talk trash about a country other than your own. Tell me, what has your country done that is so amazing for you to hate ours. You should probly do what the rest of your country already has, keep quiet, keep to your self, and don't get involved with stuff that is way over your head.

      January 7, 2011 at 5:26 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Chase

    Heresy! lol 😉

    January 7, 2011 at 5:14 pm | Report abuse |
  4. monica

    Weather we like it or not the world will come to an end. Maybe not 2012 but someday. The world is changing and even if "experts" or whoever suspects something strange is going (sudden death of birds and fishes).... they would never say... everyone would panic... right?

    January 7, 2011 at 5:14 pm | Report abuse |
    • Sandra

      maybe....
      I do think all of us should be aware of what is transpiring and should prepare.
      even if 2012 were not on the horizon and these events were happening and it was say 1998...
      I'd still say prepare, watch, research.

      January 7, 2011 at 5:16 pm | Report abuse |
    • K

      sudden death, wonder if they slept on their backs

      January 7, 2011 at 7:04 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Sandra

    I'm pretty certain the deaths were caused by either a polar shift or there is an impending earthquake due to hit soon.
    Remember the earthquake in ark. and indiana before the birds death?
    Hello....
    For the record I do not believe in god so...no 🙂 no bible thumper here.

    January 7, 2011 at 5:15 pm | Report abuse |
    • jb

      You should believe in GOD because he is very real and times are very bad and HIS time is coming soon

      January 8, 2011 at 3:03 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Chase

    1998? Could this be... Y2K...2? I'm moving thirty miles underground.

    January 7, 2011 at 5:18 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Ms.Diaz

    I truely believe that this is one of many signs we believers are suppose to be paying attention to before jesus' return...you all can think im crazy all you want but if the rapture were to come and all believers are gone and you still down here then dont sit there and say the aliens took us all away or some stupid crap like that..WAKE UP PEOPLE....stop making silly excuses for jesus' signs....gracias!

    January 7, 2011 at 5:20 pm | Report abuse |
    • MNguy

      why are none of these "Events" happening in the proclaimed holy land then? and the majority ONLY in the USA and Europe

      January 7, 2011 at 5:28 pm | Report abuse |
    • Ms.Diaz

      i said "one of many" signs....oh trust and believe that there are more to come...you'll see...i dont know if you're saved..but if youre not..i suggest you get saved before its too late..

      January 8, 2011 at 4:28 am | Report abuse |
  8. Sandra

    Chase-glad someone is actually reading my posts.

    🙂

    January 7, 2011 at 5:20 pm | Report abuse |
  9. MNguy

    Interesting how the majority of these instances are happening where you would most likely suspect a terror attack. i.e. us and englad. I'm not a nut, nor a conspiracy guy, just interesting map is all.

    January 7, 2011 at 5:22 pm | Report abuse |
    • Sandra

      I don't consider myself to be a nut or conspiracy theorist either 🙂 and the maps are interesting where these events are occuring.

      🙂

      research more-dig deeper.

      January 7, 2011 at 5:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • MNguy

      sorry.. EUROPE, not england.. hahahaha

      January 7, 2011 at 5:26 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Sandra

    Due to time constraints this is my last post.

    seriously though....
    check this out-
    it's getting worse but should stabilize as usual and hopefully soon.
    http://www2.nict.go.jp/y/y223/simulation/realtime/index.html

    January 7, 2011 at 5:23 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Sandra

    🙂

    later everyone.

    January 7, 2011 at 5:25 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Al

    well you can chooses life in Jesus or death.... i mean, either wait and live in denial till things get bad, or you can repent and ask Jesus to protect you from the coming birth pains, you feel the distress in your soul, and at this only the blood of Jesus can help.....the bible warns LUKE 21...And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves;

    January 7, 2011 at 5:28 pm | Report abuse |
    • EuphoriCrest

      Al, you really need to read MY book. It repeatedly warns us that the sky is falling! Gotta love that little red hen.

      January 7, 2011 at 5:34 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Chase

    Job? But why should I do that? I wouldn't be able to sit online and tell everyone else what a horrible job they're doing.

    January 7, 2011 at 5:29 pm | Report abuse |
  14. onejko

    do u really think that this is a sight od the end of the world?please let me know what you think.thank you

    January 7, 2011 at 5:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • EuphoriCrest

      No question, this is definitely a "SIGHT OD." Sight Ods are happening all over the place. I think a few Sight Ods are coming to your house right now.

      January 7, 2011 at 5:40 pm | Report abuse |
    • T-MAN

      LMAO!

      January 7, 2011 at 5:59 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Peter

    My view is that this is related to the alignment of numbers for tuesday of next week ... 1/11/11 🙂

    January 7, 2011 at 5:35 pm | Report abuse |
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