Extinction threat rises as creatures ingest 'gender-bending' chemicals from plastics and pesticides
Mark Townsend
Sunday July 18, 2004
The Observer
Mother nature is taking over. An extraordinary feminisation process has begun to affect Britain's wildlife - and scientists warn it could ultimately dismantle the evolutionary process that has existed for 3.5 billion years.
A trend first noted in whelks is starting to spread rapidly among other wildlife species in the food chain.
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Scientists now fear that seals, dolphins, otters, birds such as peregrine falcons and even honey bees are heading towards a uni-sex existence that would lead to extinction. Blame has fallen on the increasing prevalence of a group of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors. These are found in in plastics, food packaging, shampoos and pesticides and accumulate in the environment. They can mimic the female hormone oestrogen when ingested.
A reduction in the size of male genitals, a lower sex drive and parts of the testes turning into ovary tissue are among the symptoms. As the effect of the chemicals starts to creep up the food chain, concern will mount over the potential effect on human health amid increasing evidence of falling sperm counts and infertility among men.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1263753,00.htmlYikes!
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