GAME AND FISH BIOLOGISTS THINK THEY NOW KNOW WHAT KILLED MORE THAN 100 ELK IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. IT HAPPENED IN LATE AUGUST ON PRIVATE LAND NORTH OF LAS VEGAS. NOW A STATE WILDLIFE DISEASE SPECIALIST SAYS IT APPEARS TO BE NEUROTOXINS PRODUCED BY ALGAE IN A WATER TROUGH.
THE SPECIALIST, SPEAKING FOR THE GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT, SAYS THE ANIMALS APPARENTLY DRANK FROM THE TROUGH BECAUSE THEY ALL SHOWED SIGNS OF POISONING FROM THE NEUROTOXIN. WATER SAMPLES SHOWED A FORM OF A NATURALLY OCCURING BLUE-GREEN ALGAE THAT PRODUCES THE TOXIN THAT CAN KILL WITHIN HOURS AFTER IT IS INGESTED .
