Hen flu could have killed 1000’s of penguins in Antarctica, researchers have mentioned as they probe a suspected outbreak of the lethal virus.
A scientific expedition final month discovered at the very least 532 lifeless Adelie penguins in Antarctica, with 1000’s extra thought to have died, in keeping with a press release from Federation College Australia.
Researchers suspect the lethal H5N1 hen flu virus killed the penguins, nevertheless area exams have been inconclusive, the college mentioned. Samples are being shipped off to labs that the researchers hope will present solutions in coming months.
Scientists are involved particularly that the usually deadly H5N1 influenza might decimate threatened species of penguins and different animals on the distant southern continent.
The illness has unfold extra aggressively in wildlife than ever earlier than since arriving in South America in 2022 and quickly made its option to Antarctica, the place the primary case of H5N1 was confirmed in February.
‘This has the potential to have a large impression on wildlife that’s already being impacted by issues like local weather change and different environmental stresses,’ mentioned Meagan Dewar, a wildlife biologist with Federation College, who participated within the newest expedition.
Dewar mentioned that the lifeless Adelie penguins have been discovered frozen stable within the sub-zero temperatures and coated in snow on Heroina Island.
Dewar and the small crew of researchers weren’t in a position to tally all the carcasses on the big island, estimating that a number of thousand died in whole at a while within the continuing weeks or months.
A colony of roughly 280,000 Adelies breed on Heroina Island annually. Having completed breeding, the dwell penguins had already moved on by the point the expedition arrived, Dewar mentioned.
Dewar’s expedition did discover the presence of H5 pressure hen flu on the Antarctic peninsula and three close by islands in skua seabirds, predators which feed on penguin eggs and chicks.
About 20 million pairs of penguins breed within the Antarctic annually, in keeping with the British Antarctic Survey.
These embody emperor penguins, which scientists worry can be almost extinct by the tip of the century, as sea ice dwindles as a consequence of local weather change. Melting sea ice in 2022 led 1000’s of emperor penguin chicks to drown.
Emperor penguins might now face the added menace of lethal hen flu, Dewar mentioned.
‘There may be now the potential that emperor penguins could possibly be affected come springtime subsequent yr,’ she mentioned.
This article by Natasha Anderson was first printed by The Every day Mail on 5 April 2024. Lead Picture:Â Researchers examine the unfold of hen flu, on Beak Island in Antarctica, March 2, 2024.
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