Scientists discover doubtlessly deadly chook flu in king penguins close to Antarctica
Scientists have found the possibly deadly chook flu illness in king penguins close to the frozen reaches of Antarctica.
The UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) discovered the H5N1 virus on South Georgia island after some brown skuas birds died in October. Before, the nasty bug was seen in elephant and fur seals, and it even unfold to Antarctic terns and wandering albatrosses.
Now, 5 king penguins on South Georgia’s south coast and 5 gentoo penguins from Bird Island have caught it too. The sick birds had been checked out by scientists again within the UK on the International Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge, Surrey.
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Even although it is simply in a couple of locations now, consultants worry that the chook flu may worsen in winter when penguins snuggle up collectively. They assume birds flying over from South America may need introduced the virus.
While the danger to human well being stays very low, the virus endangers the fragile and distinctive ecosystems of the Antarctic, in line with consultants. Professor Ash Banyard from Apha stated: “South Georgia is home to some of our most unique and special wildlife and is of great importance to international biodiversity, so it is sad to witness the effects of avian influenza on these populations.”
He added: “However, these cases remain fairly isolated, and we are not seeing a rapid spread through penguin colonies.” Bird flu has been found earlier than in seals throughout Europe and the Americas, in addition to in mink in northern Spain and foxes and otters in England.
Even as far north because the Arctic, constructive samples have been present in Alaskan polar bears.
