Bird flu in South Georgia penguins, a wildlife paradise

Large populations of penguins living in South Georgia, a sub-artic island, were found to be diseased by . Among the… diseased and 5 royals. South Georgia is home to many wildlife species. Scientist fears came true, after 10 penguins were found to be diseased by avian influenza. Thus, after many birds, victims of the disease fell and the royal penguins. Positive is that it is not yet their breeding season and that is why there is optimism that the direct impact of avian influenza will be limited. But there are still concerns about next year when the penguins will gather again in mass. It is estimated that at the time of mating more than a million birds are gathered on the sub-arbital island of South Georgia, to mate and raise their young. “ The meetings of wild animals around its shores are amazing. A huge number of multiple species of penguins, albatross and seals are gathered,” said Dr. Norman Ratcliffe, a bird ecologist at the British Antarctic Research Society (BAS). “If bird flu prevailed and caused high mortality across the island, we would be worried about species conservation. At present, however, it seems to spread somewhat limited,” he added. Innumerable dead birds and mammals The highly infectious avian influenza virus (HPAI) that decimates the planet’s wildlife has been circulating for decades. However, over the last two years, it has been a major uproar. The prevailing strain H5N1 causes death in countless domestic birds and mammals around the world. Antarctica and sub-artic islands have spared the worst because they are remote. But the situation began to change last October, when the bird flu killed a brown squash – a large polar seabird. Since then it has been found in other birds, as well as in Antarctic sea elephants and fur seals. Penguins are the last animal to which it spread. Source: iatropedia.gr