About 200 to 300 waterbirds were found dead in Lake Ontario shore. Environmental officials believe that they might have poisoned by toxins from their natural food sources.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the Department of Environmental Conservation blames Type E botulism for the deaths of the loons. It bothered them because the numbers were the highest recorded since 2006.

Type E botulism is a form of food poisoning infecting animals that eat another animal contaminated with a toxin by the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. The strain mostly occurs in the Great Lakes region but was first detected in Lake Erie in 1999. It has killed waterbirds like gulls, ducks, loons, and other which feed on fish. It is also responsible for fish kills of smallmouth bass, rock bass, catfish, and lake sturgeon. Affected animals experience difficulty moving in which birds fall and drown in the waters while fish usually die quickly.

The U.S Geological Survey authorities are still uncertain if Type E botulism really killed the waterbirds but they are already investigating on the matter.

"That's what we believe is going on. It's a fair guess, but it's still a guess," said Jennifer Chipault, a USGS biological technician in an interview. "Data is still being gathered from the field."

They have checked the sediment cores near the Sleeping Bear Dunes and found that there is indeed presence of the Type E botulism bacterium brought by the zebra mussels. The contamination was also triggered by the hot weather, low water levels, and lack of rain which is a perfect condition for the Clostridium to grow. The latter is responsible for the production of the Type E botulism bacterium.

Stopping the poisoning of waterbirds and fish is not an easy task as admitted by the authorities.

"We are limited in terms of a cure," Ray said. "We are trying to focus on a moving target. As soon as one thing is understood, new factors come in. The best thing we can do now is to monitor the situation.”