That is the primary time it has been present in mammals within the area
11 January 2024
3 minute learn
Avian influenza has made its approach into fur and elephant seal populations for the primary time on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, a crew of scientists confirmed on Thursday, setting off alarm bells for conservationists because the extremely contagious illness has already killed tens of millions of birds worldwide, reported Reuters.
Scientists first suspected the presence of avian influenza close to Antarctica in October 2023, following the demise of a number of brown skua seabirds on Fowl Island, a part of the British Abroad Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Then, elephant seals began dying en masse.
In December, scientists with Britain’s Animal and Plant Well being and Company (APHA) and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) spent three weeks within the affected islands, gathering samples from useless mammals and birds.
These samples examined optimistic for avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) in elephant seals, fur seals, brown skuas, kelp gulls and Antarctic terns, scientists mentioned Thursday.
“Given Antarctica is such a novel and particular biodiversity hotspot it’s unhappy and regarding to see the illness unfold to mammals within the area,” mentioned APHA scientific companies director Ian Brown.
The present worldwide outbreak of H5N1, which started in 2021, has killed tens of millions of birds on poultry farms, and scientists concern its affect on Antarctic wildlife might be devastating. The virus has the potential to contaminate 48 species of birds and 26 species of marine mammals, in keeping with a report revealed final month by OFFLU, a worldwide community of animal influenza consultants.
The analyzed samples indicated migratory birds from South America had doubtless launched the virus to South Georgia.
“Seals, which can be identified to scavenge, might turn out to be contaminated once they devour contaminated fowl carcasses,” mentioned ecologist Alastair Ward on the College of Leeds.
1000’s of seals and lots of of 1000’s of birds congregate in dense colonies in Antarctica which may permit the virus to simply leap between people, leading to excessive mortality, OFFLU mentioned.
Penguins — Antarctica’s most iconic animals — don’t but look like impacted by the virus, with no studies exhibiting above-average penguin mortality.
BAS which operates two analysis stations on South Georgia has largely suspended scientific fieldwork involving human contact with animals following the confirmed circumstances. The Worldwide Affiliation of Antarctica Tour Operators has additionally instructed boats to not land at some websites on South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula, out of warning.
Fueling world concern concerning the virus’ unfold to imperiled wildlife populations, Alaskan officers confirmed final week the primary identified case of a polar bear dying of H5N1.
“If a fowl is weakened by avian influenza, or succumbs to it, polar bears aren’t fussy about what eat,” Andrew Derocher, a polar bear biologist on the College of Alberta, instructed Reuters. “If it is useless and it is edible they’re going to most likely eat it. There’s a excessive chance of an interplay between local weather change, avian influenza, fowl mortality and polar bears.”
