H5N1 bird flu behind hundreds of dead penguins in Antarctica? Here's what Scientists' research says
Reuters reported. Meagan Dewar, a wildlife biologist with Federation University who was a part of the latest expedition said, "This has the potential to have a massive impact on wildlife that is already being impacted by things like climate change and other environmental stresses," the Reuters report said.
The wildlife biologist said the frozen carcasses of Adelie penguins were found covered in snow on Heroina Island in sub-zero temperatures. The expedition team was unable to count the carcasses of Adelie penguins, but estimated that several thousand had died in the preceding weeks or months.
Every year, around 2,80,000 Adelie penguins breed on Heroina Island. “Having finished breeding, the live penguins had already moved on by the time the expedition arrived," Reuters quoted Meagan Dewar as saying.
The expedition revealed the presence of H5 strain bird flu on the Antarctic peninsula and three nearby islands. The strain was found in skua seabirds that feed on penguin eggs and chicks.
As per the British Antarctic Survey, around 20 million pairs of penguins breed in the Antarctic each year. (With inputs from Reuters)Milestone Alert!
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