Experts Agree Many Species Of Wildlife And Fisheries Endangered Globally Due To Fukushima Releases Into Pacific – ‘Has Fukushima Radiation Entered New Zealand Ecosystem?’

– Reports: “Experts agree many species of wildlife and fisheries are endangered globally due to large release of radioactivity into ocean” at Fukushima — “Has Fukushima radiation entered New Zealand ecosystem?” (ENENews, March 27, 2013):

New Zealand Herald, Mar. 27, 2014: Has Fukushima radiation entered NZ’s ecosystem? — Scientists are to check whether New Zealand muttonbirds that spend the winter off the coast of Japan have been exposed to radiation from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. In a new pilot study, University of Auckland scientists will investigate whether radioactive cesium has entered the New Zealand ecosystem or food chain via the birds. […] researchers will test the birds’ feathers for gamma rays that indicate the presence of the radioactive isotope cesium-134.

Voice of Russia, Mar. 27, 2014: Researchers from the University of Auckland will conduct a pilot study to establish whether radiation has entered the New Zealand ecosystem or food chain via the birds. The research aims to determine the degree to which the mutton bird population of the country was exposed to radiation from Fukushima. […] Experts agree that many species of wildlife and fisheries are endangered globally due to the large release of radioactivity into the ocean in the wake of the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami that resulted in a meltdown of three nuclear reactors of the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Moreover, radioactive water continues to leak into the Pacific Ocean to this day.

Yahoo! New Zealand, University of Auckland, Mar. 27, 2014: Scientists from the University of Auckland will undertake research to test whether New Zealand muttonbirds that spend the winter off the coast of Japan may have been exposed to radiation from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. […] funded by the Lottery Health Research fund with $26,028 for a pilot study to investigate whether radioactive cesium has entered the New Zealand ecosystem or food chain via the birds. Researchers will test the birds’ feathers for gamma rays that indicate the presence of the radioactive isotope cesium-134. […] “detection of gamma rays would tell us whether the birds spend sufficient time near Fukushima to accumulate cesium-134 from nuclear fission. Obviously the issue would then become whether that radioactivity is being absorbed into local ecosystems or the food chain” [said Dr David Krofcheck of the University of Auckland.]

See also: A “Most Unusual Event”: Birds returning from Fukushima-area with troubling symptoms — Appear to not have been able to find food in North Pacific — “I’ve never seen birds in that poor of a condition come back to New Zealand”