Mass bird deaths in botulism outbreak are linked to climate crisis

More than 94,000 birds have died at Tule Lake wildlife refuge in northern California, its worst recorded epidemic

An ongoing outbreak of botulism, a bacterial illness that causes muscle paralysis, has killed more than 94,000 birds at Tule Lake national wildlife refuge in northern California, the worst such outbreak at the lake ever recorded, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Affected birds often cannot control their muscles and suffocate in the water, said biologist and ornithologist Teresa Wicks with Bird Alliance of Oregon, who works in the area. It's a very traumatic thing to see," Wicks said.