In Antarctica, a king penguin is suspected to have died of bird flu last week. Concerned, researchers consider this viral spread as a sign of an unprecedented ecological disaster.
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Avian flu has finally reached one of the most vulnerable regions of the globe: the southern lands. Discovered on a poultry farm in 1996, the H5N1 virusH5N1 virus In 2021, several changes occurred in the Northern Hemisphere that also contaminate wild seabirds. It spread rapidly along migratory routes to South America, where it decimated not only birds but also sea lions, seals, and sea lions. sea, experts expressed their apprehensions. Arrival of this virus in Antarctica.
It didn’t take long: In October 2023, scientists documented the arrival of the H5N1 virus in the south, infecting several species of seabirds, including the majestic king penguin.Aptenodytes patagonicusAptenodytes patagonicus). Catastrophic predictions came true last week when the first king penguin died Avian fluAvian fluAccording to the reporting teams of the British daily The Guardian.
The first deaths of king penguins living in southern lands appear to have been caused by the H5N1 virus that is now affecting Antarctica. © We3Animal, Adobe Stock
Sensitive species have never been exposed before
About half the population of this species lives on South Georgia Island, in large, very dense groups, with 1,000 nesting pairs per colony and 19 individuals per square meter. rapid spread, contaminationcontamination Massive and high mortality: this is the fate that awaits penguins, but also many other species. LocalLocal From this isolated island, this type of virus has never been encountered before. According to the researchers, “ If the virus begins to cause mass die-offs in these colonies, it will signal one of the greatest ecological disasters of modern times. “
had already strongly threatened Change in atmosphereChange in atmosphere And overfishing, which significantly reduces their food resources, 70% of king penguins are expected to disappear by the end of the century, according to a team of CNRS researchers. Even if British researchers have demonstrated the ability of some species of seabirds to thrive, the new viral threat will have dramatic consequences. antibodyantibody against the H5N1 virus, and thus prevent disease. There is the question of propagation and interspecific contamination in still other ecological niches, which can affect the whole. food chainfood chain Arctic.
