Scientists on ‘high alert’ as bird flu threat looms over Australian Antarctic Territory

Adélie penguins are nesting on rocky outcrops surrounded by broken sea ice at Berkley Island in East Antarctica, as scientists monitor for the potential arrival of a deadly bird flu strain.

Scientists are concerned about the potential threat of the H5 strain of bird flu, which has caused mass mortality among birds and mammals in other parts of the world.

Scientists on ‘high alert’ for virus

The virus reached the Antarctic Peninsula two years ago and was detected on the Australian external territory of Heard Island two months ago, where hundreds of dead elephant seals were found. However, so far, there has been no trace of bird flu in the Australian Antarctic Territory.

“We know that this is a really contagious virus that can spread, but it can be absolutely dramatic and wipe out populations,” said bird ecologist Louise Emmerson.

Dr. Emmerson’s team has been on “high alert” for the past two years. Before approaching penguin colonies, they use drones to inspect for signs of the virus, such as high mortality rates. Samples from bird droppings are then collected for laboratory testing in Australia.

Penguins face multiple threats

The team also utilizes a network of about 50 nest-monitoring cameras, taking 10 photos daily during the breeding season and one photo weekly in winter to track penguin populations.

However, bird flu is not the only threat to penguins. Climate change and industrial krill fishing also pose risks. Scientists are attaching tracking devices to penguins to determine if their feeding grounds overlap with krill-fishing vessels.

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

The ABC travelled to Antarctica with the support of the Australian Antarctic Program.