SARASOTA, Fla., March 26 (UPI) -- A team of nearly 50 researchers has determined that an algae bloom known as red tide was responsible for the earlier deaths of animals off the Florida coast.
The research team found that the mysterious deaths of scores of turtles, bottlenose dolphins and manatees back in 2005 off the southwest coast of Florida was likely caused a neurotoxin that was emitted from the red tide, The Washington Post said.
The Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events study determined that brevetoxin was the likely culprit in the deaths after examining 130 stranded dolphins.
The scientific revelation also comes in the wake of 64 bottlenose dolphins washing up dead on the Texas and Louisiana coasts.
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration scientist Teri Rowles told the Post that experts were working together to determine the cause of the new dolphin deaths.
"This most important thing for us, when we have an incident like this, is to see people and agencies and scientists come together to try to solve the problem," Rowles said. "It's quite frustrating to look at 60 dead animals and not have a rapid answer."
