Avian flu outbreak Brownsea Island (1 Viewer)

[kennethwfd]

Already been mentioned in the UK local thread, but sadly some 600 wild birds, mostly chicks, have died from avian flu at Brownsea Island

More than 500 birds found dead after case of avian flu at Dorset nature reserve

HUNDREDS of birds have been found dead after a confirmed case of avian flu at a Dorset nature reserve.

The Dorset Wildlife Trust says hundreds of birds have now been found dead on Brownsea Island.
The majority were reportedly chicks which experts say will potentially have a serious impact on future bird populations.
The nature reserve on Brownsea Island was closed in mid-June following a suspected outbreak of bird flu.
However, a positive case on the popular tourist destination has now been confirmed.

An update on the trust's website reads: “It is with great sadness that we have now received the results of the tests from the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) which have confirmed that it is indeed avian flu.
“Unfortunately, the outbreak occurred at the height of the breeding season when hundreds of Sandwich terns, common terns and black headed gulls come to Poole Harbour and nest on the islands in the Brownsea lagoon.
“For this reason, the majority of the 600 dead birds found were chicks which will potentially have a serious impact on future bird populations.”
READ MORE: Nature reserve still closed following report of suspected avian flu
The statement adds: “The area which includes the lagoon and the surrounding reedbeds and woodlands will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
The closure is to enable the Brownsea team to monitor and manage this very difficult and distressing situation and to reduce any risk of spreading the disease.”

 

[Farnboro John]

Already been mentioned in the UK local thread, but sadly some 600 wild birds, mostly chicks, have died from avian flu at Brownsea Island

More than 500 birds found dead after case of avian flu at Dorset nature reserve

It's an interesting article, not least because it seems to call into question the whole understanding of seabird breeding. As I have read in the past in many publications, the strength of seabirds is their longevity, which allows individuals many attempts at replacing themselves/adding to local populations through breeding. The bird flu sweeping through colonies at the moment appears to disproportionately target the very young, leaving adult birds still OK. This surely can only be because older birds systems have more life experience, meaning in this case that they have been exposed to and conquered various illnesses such as bird flu.

In other words, a single breeding failure event such as a mass desertion or a virus that acts like a flu infection's spread, will not affect population fitness, just select for different genes.

John