Bird flu has been notice on Bird Island , South Georgia , tag the first time the disease has ever been witness in the Antarctic region , the British Antarctic Survey ( BAS ) sustain Monday .
Bird Island , which is home to a BAS research station , is one of the richest wildlife site in the human race and home plate to a encompassing variety of bird species including macaroni and gentoo penguins , albatrosses , and small burrowing birds such as petrel and prions – many of which are listed as queer , threatened , or near - threatened .
“ It ’s really worrying , ” Dr Norman Ratcliffe , a seabird ecologist with the BAS toldThe Telegraph .
“ Bird Island is one of the most exceptional home ground – the variety and density of birds is astonishing – so it ’s very concerning that it has arrived in such an crucial location . ”
The current outbreak ofbird flu – H5N1 – has already kill millions of birds across the globe in the past year , but until now has never been known in the Antarctic region .
The BAS believes it may have been brought over by migratory browned bonxie upon their rejoinder from South America , where there have been a large number of HPAI cases . In Peru and Chile alone , more than 500,000 wild birds have been cover dead in the last yr , according to a report fromOFFLU .
As a result of the confirmed case , the BAS has suspended the majority of fieldwork demand creature treatment and enhance biosecurity measures – such as the cleansing of vesture and landing field equipment , and observance of expanse of eminent wildlife density – stay in position .
Key elements of their broad scientific discipline program will proceed under forethought , namely the monitoring of seabird colonies on Bird Island .
“ [ The Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands ] and BAS will continue to work on together to monitor the encroachment of the wildlife at Bird Island , and the potential spread to other areas , ” astatementfrom the BAS learn .
Although avian influenza viruses commonly spread among birds , theWorld Health Organisationhas reported an increasing telephone number of H5N1 cases in mammal , which they say raises concerns the computer virus couldadapt to infect humanstoo .
