Thousands of eels die mysteriously in New Zealand as officials point finger at climate crisis [Video]

New Zealand is investigating the mysterious death of thousands of eels in a stream on the country’s North Island.

An estimated 3,500 juvenile eels were found dead in the Kauritutahi stream, sparking an investigation by environment officials under the Ministry for Primary Industries.

This is the second mass death of eels in the country this year. Several thousand adult eels were found dead in a stream near Mataura in Southland in February.

While the Mataura mass death was attributed to a toxic pollutant in the waterway, it’s unclear what killed the eels in Kauritutahi. The authorities, though, suspect it may be due to a “stress event” linked to climate change.

Juvenile eels, known as elvers, migrate upstream between late November and early March when temperatures reach about 16C, according to the New ZealandNational Institute …