Bird Flu Suspected On Remote Marion Islands (Southern Ocean); 1/2 Of World's Wandering Albatross Population At Risk

[hatrack]

At least 100 wandering albatross fledglings (Diomedea exulans) are thought to have died from high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAIV) on the sub- Antarctic island of Marion Island, home to half of the world’s population of the endangered birds. Since the first cases were suspected two months ago, at least a dozen sick king penguins have also been counted. Fieldwork involving the handling of seabirds on this South African research island has been put on hold. Peter Mbelengwa, communication director at South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), says that based on the number of cases seen by late November, the island is operating on level 2 alert. “This requires us to continue monitoring as usual, but we have adopted more preventive measures such as not handling any seabirds,” he added.

Laura Roberts, State Veterinarian: Epidemiology in the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape province of South Africa, says the protocol echoes steps followed by authorities when the HPAIV subtype H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus was first noted1 in seabirds and marine mammals on South Georgia, southeast of South America in October 2023. It isn’t confirmed whether the seabird deaths on Marion Island are indeed caused by HPAIV, as there are no specialised laboratory facilities on the island. Roberts, who helped to write protocols after a 2017 avian flu outbreak in South Africa, says that samples collected and frozen will probably only be tested by May 2025, when the current research team has returned to South Africa by ship. The assumption of HPAIV is based on footage reviewed by an expert panel.

The tell-tale signs of the disease, such as lethargy and seizures, were first seen in September among brown skuas that had returned to Marion Island to breed in the spring. So far, most cases are from the northeastern side around Goney Plain where wandering albatross breed, with fewer from Kildalkey in the southeast where around 2000 king penguins breed. Some diseased southern giant petrels have also been seen.

"The wandering albatross fledgling mortalities are still going on but the survivors are also leaving steadily so we are hopeful , " Roberts said, but she added that relatively small numbers of dead skuas have been found on the other side of the island, indicating that the virus may be present all over.

EDIT

https://www.nature.com/articles/d44148-024-00345-x

[Lovie777]

1. Spreading....................