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In the past week, more than 200 sharks have washed up dead, with bloody
gills, along the Gulf coast of Florida. The sharks probably succumbed to
disease. Victims are mainly blacktip sharks, with a few Atlantic sharpnose
sharks. Local waters are plagued by toxic algae, pollution and dead zones devoid
of oxygen, but these are not suspected of killing the sharks as other fish seem
unaffected. Disease is an increasing threat to wildlife, especially in the
Caribbean, possibly due to germ-laden dust blown over from Africa
(New Scientist, 3 July 1999, p 22).