In a concerning turn of events, the Guardian has reported the suspected death of one king penguin due to bird flu on South Georgia island in the Antarctic region. If confirmed, this marks the first instance of the highly contagious H5N1 virus claiming the lives of these majestic birds in the wild.
Experts are now raising alarm bells, expressing profound concerns about the potential devastating impact of the disease on remote penguin populations. The current breeding season is identified as a critical period, as the virus could rapidly spread, leading to what researchers fear could become “one of the largest ecological disasters of modern times.”
Notably, the Antarctic was the only major geographical region where the high pathogenicity avian influenza virus had never been previously detected. Penguins, including the king penguin species, lacking prior exposure to the virus, are deemed more vulnerable due to a lack of immunity.
King penguins, the second-largest penguin species globally, standing at around 3 feet tall, boast a lifespan of over 20 years in the wild. Alongside the king penguin, a gentoo penguin also succumbed to H5N1 at the same location. Furthermore, a confirmed case of H5N1-related death occurred among gentoo penguins on the Falkland Islands, situated 900 miles (1,500km) west of South Georgia.
Previous avian flu outbreaks in South Africa, Chile, and Argentina underscore the vulnerability of penguins to the disease. Over 500,000 seabirds, including penguins, pelicans, and boobies, have perished in South America due to H5N1.
Ed Hutchinson, a molecular virologist at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, remarked on the arrival of H5N1 in the Antarctic, stating that it raised concerns about the risk to wildlife in this fragile ecosystem. Diana Bell, emeritus professor of conservation biology at the University of East Anglia, expressed devastation, emphasizing the potential rapid spread of the virus through the penguin colonies.
The introduction of avian flu adds to the existing challenges faced by pristine polar ecosystems. A 2018 study predicted potential extinction for king penguins in Antarctica by the end of the century. Notably, a few weeks ago, a polar bear also fell victim to H5N1 in Utqiagvik, an area heavily affected by the global outbreak. Polar bears, classified as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List, face threats primarily due to diminishing sea ice.
The virus’s threat extends to humans, particularly those in contact with poultry, highlighting the importance of addressing and monitoring the situation closely.
