The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is one of the main habitats of sea turtles in the world, however the high rate of tumors that are experiencing these animals in the area has preoccupied scientists around the world. That is why a group of experts from James Cook University has decided to investigate the contamination of the area as the main cause of this disease.
A disease called fibromapillomatosis, caused by a specific herpes virus that affects the population of green sea turtles, generated in these animals tumors in various parts of your body such as eyes, fins, tail, shell and may even develop into internal organs.
The scientist in charge of this research and doctoral candidate in veterinary and biomedical University of James Cook (Australia) sciences, Karina Jones says to the site New Scientist that “tumors, although they are benign, can grow up to 30 centimeters in block size and functions of the turtles “as its vision.
“This lack of vision may mean they are unable to find food or see predators or boats” that run through the area, putting at risk their lives daily.
In addition, this virus leaves the most likely to catch sea turtles from other viruses and diseases that end up killing these specimens on the coasts of Australia.
According to research by Jones, turtle populations have greater contagion of this virus are in a highly tourist area in the middle of the reef. In this location, about half of the animals have fribromapillomatosis, compared to other places on the same reef that less than 10% of the turtles are sick.
While the cause of this virus is even not determined, Jones emphasizes that “we see these tumors in a very localized geographical area, that just is also an area that has a lot of human activity”, which maintain the alternative of pollution reef as the main responsible for the condition affecting the turtles.
Healthier places, the same species can carry the virus, but this remains dormant without symptoms status, the scientist explains and adds that “we believe that there must be an external agent that causes the development of these tumors.”
This disease is also affecting turtles in Florida, United States, and the coasts of Hawaii, particularly in areas near farms, so there would also be a responsibility to existing pollution.
