Concerns about the avian influenza outbreak spreading within this frigid region have intensified following the discovery of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus in the carcasses of two brown skuas.
According to The Guardian, the carcasses were found by Argentine scientists near the Primavera Base, Argentina’s scientific research station on the Antarctic Peninsula, on February 23.
The samples were sent to scientists from the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center based in Madrid, who are conducting research in Antarctica.
The H5N1 virus was discovered in the carcasses of brown skuas, raising concerns about possible transmission to penguins. (Illustrative image: Alamy).
Previous outbreaks in South Africa, Chile, and Argentina have shown that penguins are highly susceptible to the virus. Since H5N1 emerged in South America, over 500,000 seabirds have died due to this disease, with penguins, pelicans, and gulls being the most heavily impacted species.
In an unpublished report from November 2023, a researcher stated: “If the virus begins to cause mass mortality among penguin populations, it could signal one of the greatest ecological disasters of modern times.”
Data from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research indicates that other suspected cases have been reported in brown skuas, south polar skuas, and kelp gulls in Hope Bay, also located on the Antarctic Peninsula.
A report from the Spanish government on February 25 indicated that this discovery is the first confirmation that the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has reached Antarctica, despite the distance and natural barriers separating it from other continents.
These are the first confirmed cases on the continent itself, suggesting that the virus is spreading in the region, likely through migratory bird species.
Scientists also noted that there are currently numerous reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) affecting several species in the Antarctic region this season. However, many cases may have gone undetected on the Antarctic continent until now due to the challenges of accessing and sampling wildlife in the area.
This H5N1 outbreak is believed to have killed millions of wild birds globally since 2021 and has spread to every continent except Oceania.
The avian influenza virus reached the vicinity of Antarctica last October, with cases reported in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (approximately 1,600 km from the Antarctic continent) and the Falkland Islands (966 km from South Georgia).
Initially, the virus was reported in species such as gulls, skuas, and terns, followed by albatrosses and penguins. It has also spread to marine mammals in Antarctica, resulting in mass die-offs of elephant seals and fur seals.
This virus is also spreading through populations of wildlife in the Arctic. In December, the first polar bear death due to H5N1 was reported.
