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Experts fear rapid spread of disease after sampling confirms presence of H5N1 among continent’s birds. Bird flu has been detected in Antarctica for the first time, raising fears of a mass wipe-out of the continent’s avian populations. The highly-pathogenic H5N1 strain has already killed millions of birds across the globe over the past year, and has now hit one of the most important breeding grounds on the planet. Following reports of the unexplained deaths of skuas – a scavenging bird – on Bird Island in South Georgia, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) sent samples for testing. On Monday 23 October, the results came back as positive for H5N1. “Mortality is growing,” said Dr Norman Ratcliffe, a seabird ecologist with the British Antarctic Survey, in an interview with the Telegraph. “It’s really worrying. Bird Island is one of the most exceptional habitats – the variety and density of birds is astonishing – so it’s very concerning that it has arrived in such an important location.”
‘When it takes hold it can spread quickly’
South Georgia is home to several species of albatrosses, macaroni and gentoo penguins, and northern and southern giant petrels. Experts now fear these birds could also be hit by the disease, which is transmitted mostly through faeces or direct contact. “Some of these colonies are very dense, and when it takes hold it can spread quickly,” said Dr Ratcliffe. “You can’t really limit the movements of wild birds.” Researchers had been nervously waiting for H5N1 to be detected in Antarctica following a global surge in the disease since last autumn.
