Antarctica Bird Flu: Scientists Warn of Looming Threat

Scientists are on high alert for a potentially devastating outbreak of the H5 strain of bird flu in the Australian Antarctic Territory, a vast region on the eastern side of the continent. While the virus has been detected on the Antarctic Peninsula and Heard Island, it has not yet reached the eastern territory, prompting extensive monitoring efforts.

Concerns Over Bird Flu Threat

At Berkley Island in East Antarctica, Adélie penguins are currently nesting, alongside Weddell seals and skuas. Bird ecologist Louise Emmerson warned that the H5 virus is “really contagious” and can cause “absolutely dramatic” population declines.

Avian influenza has spread across the globe in recent years, causing significant mortality in both mammals and birds, including Adélie penguins. The virus reached the Antarctic Peninsula two years ago and was detected on Heard Island two months ago, where hundreds of dead elephant seals were found.

“We haven’t found it in this area at this stage,” said Dr. Emmerson, who leads the Australian Antarctic Division’s (AAD) seabird research team. “But we’re obviously very concerned about its arrival.”

Monitoring and Data Collection

Dr. Emmerson’s team has been on “high alert” for the past two years. Before approaching penguin colonies, drones are deployed to assess for signs of the virus, such as increased mortality rates. Samples from bird droppings are then collected and tested in Australian laboratories.

Louise Emmerson says so far there has been no trace of bird flu in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Photo: ABC/Jano Gibson

AAD wildlife ecologist Colin Southwell emphasized the importance of baseline data. “To detect an impact of any kind, you need baseline data,” he said. “You need data on what was happening before, so you can compare what’s happening after.”

Teams are monitoring colonies near Casey, Davis, and Mawson Stations across a 4,000-kilometer coastline. The team also utilizes a network of approximately 50 nest-monitoring cameras, capturing images throughout the breeding season and winter to track penguin populations.

Colin Southwell has been monitoring colonies near Casey Station.
Photo: ABC/Jano Gibson

Multiple Threats to Penguin Populations

Beyond bird flu, penguins face threats from climate change and industrial krill fishing. Scientists are attaching tracking devices to penguins to determine if their feeding grounds overlap with krill-fishing operations.

The team also has a network of about 50 nest-monitoring cameras
Photo: Suppled/Nisha Harris via ABC

“With the population surveys, with the nest camera, observations with the tracking [devices], we’re trying to get a baseline of what is normal in Adélie penguins,” Dr. Southwell said. “So we can see whether there’s been an impact from avian influenza or fisheries or climate change and all kinds of human impacts.”