In the Ría de San Martín at Suances weeks after the mass bird deaths in August, more carcasses have been found. The civic initiative Proyecto Ría San Martín has reported more dead animals since 16 September and is calling for expanded laboratory tests on the carcasses. The case is once again occupying the authorities in Cantabria because the cause of death remains unclear.
In August, the initiative documented at least 88 dead waterbirds between the 8th and 21st of the month, describing the incident as the biggest environmental disaster in the estuary area for a long time. According to its report, 44 were mallards, along with 17 black-headed gulls, 11 common teals, 8 shelducks, 7 gadwalls and one mute swan. The figure is a minimum and does not capture the full mortality from the event.
The Government of Cantabria (Gobierno de Cantabria) had 44 animals collected and sent for analysis by 21 August. Tests included avian flu, West Nile virus, and bacterial and toxicological causes. The regional environment minister Roberto Media said in the regional parliament on 5 October that the tests had so far revealed no definitive cause; on the basis of current knowledge, water quality was not considered a main factor.
The municipality also responded: Ayuntamiento de Suances closed affected stretches of shoreline in August to prevent people and pets from coming into contact with carcasses. Experts are now pressing for the investigation to be stepped up. SEO/BirdLife is monitoring the incident and coordinating with the Dirección General de Montes y Biodiversidad of the Gobierno de Cantabria. In the view of conservationists, the gap between the 44 animals officially recovered and the carcasses counted by Proyecto Ría San Martín points to the need for further investigation.
The Ría de San Martín currently has no formal protected-area status. The medium- and long-term effects of the deaths on local duck and gull populations cannot yet be assessed, given the lack of a confirmed cause and comprehensive records. The authorities have said they will continue monitoring the wildlife and analysing the test results. To the best of current knowledge, there is no confirmed evidence of a risk to public health.
The immediate trigger is the new finds since mid-September and the regional government’s confirmation in early October that the cause is still unknown. The wider context remains a sharp conflict of priorities: between the pressure to give the all-clear quickly and the professional requirement to fully investigate the unusual die-off at the Ría de San Martín.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).