Aesthetic effects Blooms discolour the water and can form unsightly and sometimes smelly scums on the surface and along the shore. Blue-green algae and other organisms may also impart a pungent, earthy taste and odour to the water. While these may not be a health risk, they may make the water unpalatable. Animal health Stock deaths have occurred after drinking infested water.
All cases relate to dense blooms with accumulation of scum on the surface, usually near the shore.
Sometimes blooms of blue-green algae are washed onto the shore of a water body. They may dry and form a crust of dead algae. In this form the toxin may be active for weeks or months. Consumption of such material by animals may cause illness or even death. Ecological effects Blue-green algae have been implicated in the poisoning of wild animals including rodents, amphibians, fish, pelicans, waterfowl, bats and zooplankton.