Green Algae in Brittany. Again and Again. Again and Again.

Beautiful, isn’t it? Who can believe that this is the place where 36 wild boars¹, sows and piglets alike, were found dead in July?

While I was writing a few posts about pollution problems in Brittany, a French region I love very much, our «home» ever since 1987, I never thought we’d live through such a shocking experience.

When people started finding dead wild boars, sows and piglets², (up to 36) on a beach close to our home, there were headlines all over French (and foreign) newspapers. «Green algae in Brittany. They killed again.»

I decided to be patient and careful for once.

Boars were found dead every day. They were collected and sent to a veterinary lab. Autopsies were carried on.

In Brittany, people were arguing to the point that it was hard to even utter the word «sanglier» (wild boar) whether you were talking to a farmer, a hunter or an ecologist.

The farmer would get really angry because green algae have been known to be the product of intensive farming.

The hunter would get mad because wild boar hunting is highly restricted. 
He’d tell you that boars wouldn’t be dying on the beach if they had been hunted. It made sense of course even though a little bit drastic but it did not do much good in finding the cause of their death anyway.

The ecologist was very upset but torn apart by two theories.

One was that boars died from asphyxia due to the H₂S (hydrogen sulfide) from the rotting of the green algae.

The second theory which could make sense was a poisoning from the nearby small river filled with very toxic microscopic algae (cyanobacteria/blue-green algae).

I almost forgot another theory. Deliberate poisoning of the boars by farmers or villagers who could have gotten tired of the damages in fields and gardens.

So I waited very patiently. I was quite sure that inhaling the fumes from rotting green algae had killed the boars because I had been there... so many times while working hard on a photographic project.

The stench from the rotting algae is unbearable. Imagine a gigantic pan filled with rotten eggs and you’ll get the idea.

I remember feeling nauseated. I remember getting headaches. I remember throwing up. How lucky I have been never to faint in the muck. And how stupid I have been to stay there for such a long time while taking pictures...

After all, the algae has killed at least four times within the past two years: one man, two dogs and one horse. Official deaths at least.

I waited for the results. They came up a few days ago.

And the newspapers were all screaming: «Green algae found guilty of the death of the wild boars.»

Our world is going upside down.

In the Middle Ages, whenever something bad happened, we burnt black cats.

In August 2011, green algae are held responsible for the death of 36 wild boars and one coypu³ (two days ago... and no doubt about it). At least this is the way our French newspapers published the news... Responsible...


Should we burn green algae... as a punishment for their mischief?

Or should we try to find out who really is guilty of their proliferation? (Shouldn't we try to eradicate the problem even if it takes years to do so and before too many animals and/or humans die on a beach?)

Who should be held responsible for the increasing invasion of Brittany (and elsewhere) by green algae?

Farmers and intensive farming? Our consumerist attitude? The fact that Northern Brittany gets more and more tourists every year? Too many people meaning increased pollution.

The problem first appeared in the 1970s but it is getting worse ever since.

Of course, intensive farming plays an important part in polluting the water (ground water and rivers) and then the sea.

Farmers are caught in a devilish drive to be ultraproductive. They want to survive. The ground is getting poorer hence a growth in the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Nobody came up with realistic ideas or solutions to help them through the various crises they have been going through.

And nobody ever came up with money to help them get rid of the polluting side effects of intensive farming. A few things have been tried out but nothing really satisfying though.

In Brittany, we are now facing a major crisis because no one ever wanted to face the truth and talk about it openly and with composure.

The official results of the autopsies were published a few days ago. The boars did die because they inhaled H2S from rotting green algae.

The green algae problem does not affect Brittany in its entirety. But since it has been hushed up, now that it comes violently to light, people are afraid.

Northern Brittany is one of the main agricultural regions in France. 40% of its population are farmers.

But we must not forget that Northern Brittany also survives because of tourism⁴.

The weather has not been very clement lately. With the «green algae» crisis, many people have decided to avoid Northern Brittany and are cancelling their reservations.

So Northern Brittany is bound to live through dire times once again.

In September, pig manure spreading will start again, hereby causing water pollution. More green algae next year...

This year, green algae are hard to get rid of. Too many of them and not enough storage left.

Only one solution left since the cleaning up is now impossible - Access to the polluted beaches will be restricted.

A week ago, 350 farmers or so had a big football game on the very spot the boars were found dead, thereby defying the State authority... Nobody died and nobody felt sick either (or nobody ever complained)... for one good reason probably - the green algae had been disposed of and anyway, the football game was scheduled away from the very place that is known to be still highly contaminated with H₂S. (The sands are checked every week.)

Pitiful. Who can believe that one football game will prove the disappearance of such a terrible danger?

By the way, the government has kept very quiet concerning the farmers’ act of defiance.

But beaches are being closed every day now, the way the St Maurice beach is closed ever since July.

Good news though. Summer holidays are almost over. The tourists are leaving. It is getting colder. Green algae are disappearing... All is well, all is well in Brittany.

Let’s forget about pollution... until next spring, of course...

¹ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
² http://www.ouest-france.fr
³ http://coastalcare.org
⁴ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/

*Good Luck, and Good Night*

1 comment:

Bruce said...

Thanks to you we can see what it's doing to Brittney, but what about the butterfly effect. What's the green algae doing to other places that we don't know about. I agree no matter how long it takes find out what is causing it.