It’s incredibly hot in Mexico lately. By May 9, at least nine cities in the country had set temperature records. Cuidad Victoria in the border state of Tamaulipas noted a concerning 47 degrees Celsius. But the temperature surges are not the only problem.
It has rained concerningly less throughout almost all of Mexico so far this year. Lakes and dams are drying up and authorities have had to truck in water for everything from hospitals to firefighting operations due to depleting supplies.
Hydroelectric dams have not been able to operate at the required capacity, leading to outages in some parts of the country. On Monday, OXXO convenience stores said they were limiting purchases of ice to just 2 or 3 bags per customer in some places.
Dozens of monkeys found dead amid Mexico heatwave
Mexico’s brutal heatwave has been linked to the deaths of at least 26 people since March. But the situation for animals is in no way better. Howler monkeys – midsize primates prominent for their roaring vocal calls – are falling dead from the trees.
At least 83 of the monkeys have been found dead in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco. Residents rescued others, including 5 that were rushed to a local veterinarian. “They arrived in critical condition, with dehydration and fever,” the Guardian quoted Dr Sergio Valenzuela as saying.
The veterinarian put ice on the monkeys’ limp hands and feet, and connected them to IV drips. But most are not so lucky. Gilberto Pozo counted about 83 of the animals dead or dying on the ground under trees. It has been reported that the die-off started around May 5.
Need to intensify global efforts to tackle climate change
“They were falling out of the trees like apples,” noted the wildlife biologist. Already in a critical condition due to dehydration, he said the falls from several metres up inflict additional damage that often leads to their death. The incidents have been grabbing headlines globally.
Pozo blames the multiple fatalities on a number of factors, including high temperatures, drought, forest fires and logging that make it difficult for the monkeys to access food and shade. He has set up a special recovery station for the animals – currently accommodating 5 monkeys.
Besides the scores of monkeys affected, birds and reptiles have also taken a hit. The precarious situation tells us a lot about climate change. It is more important than ever to intensify global efforts to tackle the deepening crisis in order to help the Earth remain livable.
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