Bird flu outbreak penguin colonies Falkland Isles (2 Viewers)

[kennethwfd]

More than 200 penguin chicks have died in the Falklands Islands as a lethal strain of bird flu whips through the South Atlantic.

The highly infectious H5N1 variant, which has killed millions of birds worldwide since 2021, was found in samples taken from dead penguins that nest in the Falklands.

The news has stoked fears that bird flu will soon spread among penguin colonies in nearby Antarctica. If that happens, scientists believe it could bring about “one of the largest ecological disasters of modern times”.

Sally Heathman, a Falklands government spokesperson, said a handful of adult penguins had been found dead on the islands alongside the 200 chicks. The animals had appeared lethargic or displayed neurological symptoms before they died, she added.

Birds infected with the most serious strains of avian flu experience haemorrhaging, breathing difficulties, drooping wings, shaking, and the twisting of the head and neck.

From the Daily Telegraph