Hundreds of seabirds have been washed up dead on a South East Cornwall beach today, it has been reported.
The deaths follow those of scores of other birds which have been washed up across Devon and Cornwall covered in a "sticky substance" in the past week.
The birds, found this morning between Downderry and Seaton, are thought to be covered in the same substance as that found on hundreds of birds at the end of January.
Many others, the vast majority being guillemots but also some razorbills, have been collected alive from beaches in Mevagissey, Talland Bay, Gorran Haven and St Mawes since Thursday and taken to Cornwall's RSPCA centre in St Columb for emergency treatment.
They are then shipped to the RSPCA's West Hatch wildlife centre in Taunton where they are cleaned by specialists.
More birds arrived at the St Columb centre covered in the substance today, with more expected.
Claire Martin, animal care supervisor at St Columb's RSPCA centre, said yesterday: "When they arrive they are very, very sticky; they were just sticking to the towels.
"We act as an emergency hold; we try to give them the best chance we can.
"We tube them and give them a substance called electrolyte which rehydrates them. Cleaning them is not an option; cleaning birds needs to be done by specialists."
Most of the birds are in an emaciated condition the RSPCA said, leading to the belief that whatever they encountered has prevented them from diving down to feed for several days.
More than 25 of the 95 rescued birds across Devon and Cornwall have been in such a pitiful condition that they have had to be put to sleep to end their suffering, the RSPCA said.
Dog walkers are being warned to keep their pets away.
Anyone who finds a bird covered in the chemical is asked not to touch it but to contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.
